Finding What's True
by darkladywolf
Summary: After a nasty break-up with her boyfriend, Runo is left heart-broken as two of the people she cared about the most made her loose faith in life. But someone who has been watching from afar comes into play and Runo finds out that there is still hope.
1. Chapter 1:Sorrow

**So, what's up guys? This is my first Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Shun Kazami X Runo Misaki fanfic so be nice ok? It is slightly Dan and Alice bashing but don't get me wrong, I love both of them but I had to do this for the sake of the story. So, on with the story! Hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!** ** I do not own Bakugan Battle Brawlers**. **If I did Shun and Runo would be madly in love with each other! I can't help it! I just love them!**

_Finding What's True_

She was always told that she didn't know what pain is. How it felt to be all alone. To have no one. She always thought that she knew both feelings. When he left she felt alone. While he was away she felt pain. At least that's what she thought.

How could he? How could he do this to her? How _dare_ he do this to her?

After all she had been through for him? After all the pain and anguish she had to put up with every day while he was away with the other brawlers trying to save Vestroia? The cold fingers of fear had her heart in an iron-strong grip, suffocating it, making her feel like it would burst inside her ribcage.

Her eyes had been swollen and her throat and lungs had been burning from the restless nights and the tears that had been running down her pale cheeks endlessly every single night he was away.

And then , after so long…he finally came back. He walked in the restaurant with his ever-present goofy smile…..

That moment had been her salvation. That moment all the sorrow that had built up inside her vanished and Fear, that cold hearted bastard, retreated back to the darkest corner of her mind never to come back again.

Life couldn't be better for her. Shortly after he came back he asked her on a date and asked her to be his girlfriend. She couldn't have asked for more. Her dreams were finally true!

And now after all these, how could he do this to her? How could he be so cruel?

After four years?

After four freaking years(**A/N:** In New Vestroia they were around thirteen so they are around seventeen in the story) of being together?

They were so good…. So happy….. They were the perfect couple… Did she do something? Did she say something? No matter how much she tried to find a reasonable answer to these questions she always ended up empty handed. No one, and I mean no one, could deny the fact that they were perfect for each other, like they were meant to be from the very beginning. And she used to believe that. All those pretty words. All those promises, all those kisses…

Now this? After all they had been through together? That's how he repaid her? By doing this?

And with her?

The girl that she loved like a sister? The girl that she had supported and had supported her in so many sticky situations? The girl that she shared a room with? The one that knew her heart's deepest desires?

And how could that girl do this to her? After all Runo had done for her? How could she? She took her in her house and her life. Gave her, her room and a family. A strange but loving family. A place to consider home and a girl to consider her sister. It was Runo who held her when she cried, it was Runo who helped her with everything she needed, it was Runo who protected her from everything.

But for some strange reason the young Misaki wasn't surprised that it was her that he went with. That would explain a lot. That would explain strange behaviors that she didn't care to notice at the beginning. Looks from the corners of their eyes, the lack of enthusiasm from the girl when she heard about them being a couple, the lack of attention she received from her boyfriend every time _she_ was around, the secrets and the sweet smiles, his tense shoulders every time she kissed him in front of _her_. Yes…it explained everything.

And the worst part of the whole story was that she had to find out the way she did.

Oh, how cruel the world can be…

**Flashback**

_A seventeen year-old Runo Misaki walked happily down the busy road of her town towards her family's restaurant. Her mother had asked her to go grab some things from the market. Her blue hair blew in the light breeze of the morning as she greeted some of her neighbors and some of their regular customers with loud 'Good Mornings' and beaming smiles. She still had it in her two pig tails. When she had turned fifteen she had thought of leaving it down , considering herself too old for pig tails. Her boyfriend though had a different opinion so she chose to keep it the way it was just to please him. _

_So there she was with her silky hair in her trademark pigtails, wearing a yellow sun dress with white flower designs and carrying groceries in her arms while walking down the roads towards her home where said boyfriend would be waiting for her so they could go on their date. Even at the thought of his ruby eyes her heart soared with happiness. She knew that when he would see her, he would come up to her and give her a sweet kiss on the lips. Then he would comment on how beautiful she looked and then wait for her to go get ready for their date. They were going to have such a great time!_

_With that thought in mind she picked up her pace and crossed the crowded street. The faster she got there the better. _

_She covered the distance that separated her from the love of her life in record time and only a few minutes later she found herself in front of her family's restaurant opening the door._

"_Oh, hey Runo!" her father greeted her when she got inside. _

"_Hey, dad" she answered without even looking at him as she searched for any sign of brown hair. _

"_Looking for Dan?" her father asked her with a wide smile._

_She finally turned to look at him and answered his question with a nod of her head._

"_He is upstairs in your room waiting for you. He came by a while ago and as he stood all alone I told him to go up to your room and wait for you with Alice." _

_Runo's face lit up at the thought of two of the people that mattered the most to her._

"_Really? Thanks dad!" she said as she went over and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she ran up the stairs to her room where her boyfriend and sister were waiting for her._

_She was in such a hurry that she forgot to leave the groceries in the kitchen. Well, she could always do that later. _

_She reached the door to her room. She was about to open the closed door when she heard…..nothing. Nothing? That was weird. Dan and silence were two words that she never thought she would be putting together. And he was in that room. But no noise was coming from inside. And she couldn't even hear Alice. Also a very talkative person._

_And then it clicked. They must have seen her coming from the window and they decided to pull a prank on her. Probably scare the hell out of her. Well, I don't think so. That wasn't going to work on her. She would be the one to surprise them. _

_With the groceries still in her arms she turned the door knob without making a sound. She silently opened the door and was about to scream 'Surprise' at the two people in the room._

_What she saw instead was a sight that made her heart break into tiny little pieces and a wave of nausea to hit her full force. _

_Dan and Alice were sitting on her bed….kissing!_

_Her mouth was hanging open at the heart-breaking sight before her and her tear-filled eyes were wide. _

_She was frozen on the spot as she watched her world crumbling down like a tower made out of cards in the evening breeze._

_Her arms went limp and the bags that she held fell on the wooden floor with a loud 'thud'. A few of the apples and the oranges that were inside the bags rolled on the floor and stopped when they reached her bedside table._

_Only then did the two other people in the room turn to look at her and through her clouded with tears eyes she saw their eyes widen._

_Alice's mouth was open as in a silent scream and Dan was already standing with his hand in the air as if trying to reach her. _

"_Runo its not what you think" he started "we were just…." He was at a loss of words. He didn't know what to say to make it seem like everything was fine. Like the scene that she had just witnessed was nothing but a creation of her wild imagination._

_But he couldn't do that. 'Cause Runo knew full well what she had just seen. Who did he think he was? Did he think that, with that stupid 'it's not what you think' he could erase the moment that they crashed her world? Did he think that she was one of those stupid little girls that buy everything their cheating boyfriends throw at them? Well, he was wrong. She was in love but not stupid enough to believe this lame line. Nothing would ever make her forget what she had just seen._

_Her Dan, her boyfriend, her best friend, her love…kissing Alice. Her other best friend, her sister._

_Her blue hair was covering her teary eyes so they couldn't see her expression, from one filled with sorrow, turn into one of pure rage and treason._

_She slowly looked up and met Dan's eyes. Deadly sea foam clashed with guilty ruby._

"_Not what I think?" She said lowly. "Then my dear Dan can you explain to me what exactly is going on here? Can you explain to me why you two were kissing just a moment ago?" her voice only grew louder and louder as she spoke and her anger took the better of her._

_Dan was as still as a statue as he watched the rage in her blue eyes. But what could he do about it? Nothing. There was nothing he could do to change the scene she had just seen. He turned to Alice for help but only at the sight of her deathly white face and her shocked expression he knew that she would offer him no help._

"_We were just…I was…we were…" He knew that his inability to speak would only make Runo madder so he chose to stay silent. But that was only proof to Runo that what she had just seen was not something unintentional. _

_A new wave of sorrow and fury hit her and made her forget her shattered heart . Even if it was only for a little while. _

"_Get out" she spat at them "Both of you" her voice was dripping with venom._

"_Runo wait…" started Alice in a low voice._

"_I SAID GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!" she yelled at them at the top of her lungs and pointed at the door._

_Dan slowly turned to Alice and motioned for her to follow him out. Runo was staring at the floor while they were walking out of her room but she knew that their eyes were on her. She wasn't really sure what they expected her to do. Scream at them, lunge at them and beat the hell out of both of them? Maybe she should have. Maybe she should have screamed at them for doing this to her. Maybe she should have show them how much pain she felt . How much it had hurt to see them the way she did. But no. She didn't have the strength or the will power to do anything. _

_She stood there, unmoving like a statue until she could barely hear their hurried footsteps and the opening of the front door._

_She slammed the door shut and stood there a little longer. Her heart was beating fast and she was panting. She walked towards her bed but stopped dead in her tracks when the scene from before replayed in her clouded mind. _

_Fresh tears gathered in her eyes and suddenly she felt her knees go weak as she fell on her bed with a loud sob. _

**End Flashback**

And here she was now. A week later on the same bad while looking at the ceiling and trying to erase the picture of Dan kissing Alice from her memory.

She sighed and turned so she was facing the door.

"Why Dan? Why Alice? Why did you have to do this to me?" she asked as she choked on a sob.

Tigrerra could only watch helplessly as her lady's heart broke all over again.

She only hoped and prayed every day and every night that someone would come to pull her mistress out of her sorrow.

**TBC**

**So there goes the first chapter! I hope you liked it! Review to tell me what you think and If I should continue with this story! Your opinion really matters to me! Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! Sorry for any mistakes! English is not my native language! **


	2. Chapter 2:Knowing

**Chapter 2: Knowing**

The hours that Runo was spending in her room turned to days. And the days turned to weeks.

Her parents thought that the sudden depression she was going through was just a phase. Something that is common when it comes to teenagers. She couldn't really blame them. She had been through such phases in the past. But nothing too serious. And the last thing she wanted was for her parents to worry over the problems of her love life. Well, former love life. She really couldn't think herself with anyone in the future. Well, no one could really blame her. She had set all of her hopes and love on Danniel Kuso. She always thought that he is The One. Her perfect match.

Her friends on the other hand were an entirely different case. She knew that they would be hard, if not impossible, to convince that this sudden and drastic change in her behavior and disappearance from the face of the Earth was because of raging teenage hormones. They would read her like an open book. And her disability to lie to them would only make things harder for her. Yeah, impossible.

She was almost one hundred per cent sure that they would discover her in an instant.

Marucho would find some very reasonable explanation as to why she was acting that way and she sure that in less than five minutes her 'secret' would be out. In no time at all.

Or there was always the easier way. They could always use Julie's amazing Secret Revealing tactics. She would pester and annoy Runo to death and sooner or later the blue haired beauty would have to spit it out or she would die from Julie overdose. Old trick but it always worked and with Julie's high pitched voice it was almost unbeatable.

And then there was the part when her mind told her to let no one know of Dan cheating on her with - of the incident. She wasn't sure how her dear and protective friends would take it. And she didn't want them to shun Dan out, for sure. He might have hurt her but she knew him well. Without his friends and their precious support Danniel was as good as dead. He would fall into depression. How ironic. But she really didn't want that. One emotionally crashed Brawler was enough. They really didn't need, or want for that matter, another one. Even though he deserved it. Oh yeah, he fucking deserved it! He deserved everything thing that she could have done to him. She knew him better than anyone. Every aspect of his personality, what he liked, what he disliked, how he coped with problems and pain, everything that could make him happy and everything that could crash him like a small fish in the jaws of a white shark.

She could have made him suffer. She could have made him pay for what he did to her. Oh, she could very well do that. But she didn't want to do that. She couldn't do that. 'Cause no matter the pain and the rage, deep down , she still loved him. 'Cause deep down he was still her Dan.

No. She couldn't do this to him. She wasn't raised that way by her parents. It wasn't in her character even though sometimes, someone who didn't know her would think that she needs anger management lessons.

And Alice.

It hurt her more than she could have ever imagined. It was strange but the pang in her heart was much stronger and painful every time she thought about Alice. About Alice kissing her boyfriend on her bed. She couldn't find a reasonable explanation for this. Maybe, deep inside her, a part of her knew that there might be a chance that Dan might, just might, cheat on her.

But there was no where, not even at the deepest corner of her being, a part of her that could even dream of Alice betraying her. Much more get together with her boyfriend behind her back.

Maybe, if they had told her the truth about their 'not-so-secret-relationship-anymore' then the pain would be…..bearable. Maybe if they had told her from the very beginning that they love each other and that they want to be together in order to be happy then she would give Dan up for Alice. If it meant that the two of them would be happy then she wouldn't be the one to stand in the way of their happiness. She loved them too much to do that.

Dan had made a few tries to reach her. To explain everything. But they were all in vain. She didn't want to see him or even breathe the same air as him. The only thing that she wanted was to go hide somewhere where no one would find her so she could think. Clear her mind and try to forget all the painful memories. At one point in her desperation she thought of forgiving both Dan and Alice and continuing her life with them like nothing had ever happened. But no. She couldn't do that. Not with the image of the two of them kissing hunting her in her life. And later, when she thought about it with a mind a little clearer than before she realized that she would never be able to be with Dan anymore. Not after all these. She would never be able to look at him again and not see him kissing Alice. No. It would never be the same again.

But no matter her pain and her first depression she had to move on. She had to live on. She wasn't going to stay in her room forever mourning over something that was not her mistake and as it seemed, it was never meant to be. She had to get over this and continue on. She would start a new life. One that didn't involve Dan. At least not in a romantic way. Maybe she would find it someday in her heart to forgive him and Alice.

But for now, she had to let go of the pain and get a refreshing gulp of hope for a new life. And the only way she knew to do that was by letting everything out. She needed to talk to someone. And the only creature on this as well as the other planets that she trusted the most was her always loyal Tigrerra.

She turned to the Haos Bakugan that was resting with her on her pillow.

"Tigrerra? Are you asleep?" said Runo in a whisper but she was glad to see that this time her voice was steadier that all the other times.

In an instant the Bakugan was on her feet(ahem) and looking up at the blue-haired girl.

"Yes Mistress, is there anything that you need?" asked the always caring Bakugan and Runo couldn't help but smile at her partner and best friend. No matter what Tigrerra was and would always be by her side trying her hardest to please her and protect her without thinking of herself. She could count on her for everything.

"I need to talk to you" said the girl and her small smile fell.

Tigrerra was instantly alerted.

"Runo you don't need to bring up painful memor-"

"No" the green eyed beauty cut her off " I need to talk. And you are the only one I can trust. I need to let go"

The meaningful and determined look in her lady's eyes stopped Tigrerra from saying anything.

"If that's what will make you the good old Runo and will help in anyway then I am all ears. I want my Runo back"

And so Runo talked. She took out of her all the pain and hurt she had felt when she had seen Dan with Alice and all the sorrow that had built up inside her. She was going to defeat the pain and only grow stronger. She wouldn't give up. Not now, not ever. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. She always believed that in her life. And now she was going to be the winner. No one would ever again make her doubt herself or her abilities as a human or a brawler.

Trigrerra felt hope build up inside her as she watched and heard Runo talk to her about all the suffering she went through. But she knew that everything was going to be fine. Her mistress's voice only grew louder and louder as she spoke and the all-too-known fire that used to burn in her orbs was returning bit by bit as she spoke.

And Tigrerra knew. Runo was going to be fine. Just fine…

oXShunAndRunoXo

Stupid Kuso. Always being late. Never on time. Not even once.

Shun Kazami cursed his friend for being late…..again. He was like…..forty five minutes late! What the hell? Couldn't he be on time once in his life?

The young ninja's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he thought of the stupid explanation Dan would present this time.

It was always ' an old lady needed help to cross the street' or ' I had to save a cat from a tree'.

He watched as the other brawlers waited anxiously for the last member of their group to arrive.

The last? Well, almost.

Runo wasn't at the park too. In fact the last time they saw her was almost three weeks ago. Strange. Runo was always very accurate when it came to her dates. Shun couldn't remember one time that she was late or that she had missed one of their 'reunions'. It was really strange that she hadn't showed up. And to be completely honest he missed her presence. At the beginning they weren't what someone would call close even though they were in the same group and they were fighting for the same reasons. He used to avoid her. She was far too loud and aggressive for his tastes. Her obsession with Dan didn't help their relationship. Shun was absolutely sure that he didn't wish to hear about Dan The Hero all the time.

But when she turned fifteen she somehow matured. She got over her childish ways and to tell the truth, the young Kazami found the girl's presence quite calming and enjoyable. There were times that their idiotic teammates would shout and bicker about whatever it was that annoyed them and the two of them would sit down in a far and quiet corner and talk. About brawling, their Bakugan, useful strategies in battle, Shun would tell her stories about his life as a ninja and she in turn would tell him about her love for art. It was quite refreshing talking to her. That's when they found themselves in each other's company more than before and a nice and steady friendship formed between them. And when it came to his friends Shun was very protective. No matter what he showed and what he kept inside of him he cared about all of his friends deeply and he would give his own life if it meant protecting them. So he was slightly concerned about his blue- haired friend that he hadn't seen in three weeks.

"I am here guys." A voice suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts as he saw Dan and Alice approaching. Dan's voice was low and he seemed pale. Something was wrong with him, Shun noticed a couple of weeks ago. He seemed upset and he wasn't as energetic and loud as usual. It was the same with Alice. She didn't talk as much and her smiles were fake. What could be wrong? Neither Julie nor Marucho seemed to have noticed this change in behavior, but he had.

"Finaly!" exclaimed Julie "Where were you guys? You are fifty minutes late! And you are the ones that we need the most right now!"

"Us?" questioned Alice.

" Yes Julie" interrupted Marucho " You summoned us here but still keep us in the dark as to why we are here"

"I will explain" said the Australian girl and clapped her hands together "It's about Runo!" the girl said with a desperate edge in her voice.

Shun noticed that Dan and Alice tensed at the mention of the Misaki girl's name. Hmmmm….strange. Really strange.

"It has been three whole weeks and she hasn't given a sign of life! I am worried about her! I call her and she doesn't pick up the phone, she doesn't log in, in the chat room and she hasn't showed up in any of our gatherings! This is Runo we are talking about! She always shows up!"

The others nodded in agreement and suddenly all of their eyes were glued on Dan and Alice. The two people that had to have some sort of knowledge as to why Runo had disappeared so suddenly.

Dan put his hands in front of him protectively and let out a nervous laugh. He feared that this moment would come. The moment that he would have to explain everything. But maybe he could delay his moment of doom a little longer. At least until he could sort things out with Runo

"Relax guys. Runo if fine. She is just….sick. Yeah, sick. That's why she didn't show up and why she has been absent for the past three weeks." Said Dan and his pose visibly relaxed at his excuse but not entirely. He still needed to know that they believed him.

"Sick?"asked Julie

"Yes Julie. Sick. Tell them Alice." The brunette turned to the girl beside him, silently asking for her help.

Said girl hesitated for a moment before answering. But it was enough for Shun to notice and his eyes narrowed.

"Yes, Runo caught a cold a while ago and because she didn't take proper care of herself it turned out a little nasty."

"But, if she is just sick, then why doesn't she pick up her phone?" interrupted Marucho and Julie nodded in agreement.

"She didn't want to worry you guys. You know how she is. She doesn't want to put more pressure on you than you need." said Dan quickly and glanced at Alice who was about to break down. She was deathly pale and some almost invisible tears were gathered in her eyes. Huge lies. Terrible lies. So bad that it almost brought tears to his eyes too.

Shun was almost sure now that there was something really serious going on between Runo, Dan and Alice. Something the two, Dan and Alice, didn't want them to know.

"Are you sure about that? Is she really just sick? But why didn't she tell me? Call me, say something. Ask for help" said Julie with a questioning look on her face.

"I told you guys. She didn't want to worry you. And you know how she is. She doesn't want to ask for help when it is something as simple as a sickness. You know she is too proud for that." Dan was growing stiffer by the second. Another question and he was going to blow up. And their cover would be blown. And at the moment this was the last thing they wanted.

"It's ok Julie." spoke up Shun for the first time in the whole conversation "I am sure that Dan and Alice are telling the truth and Runo is going to be fine. She just didn't want to worry us. I am sure that she will inform us of her condition when she is ready." He said in a casual tone but the meaningful look he sent Dan's way told otherwise to the now, almost, trembling boy.

The distressed look on both Dan and Alice's faces was enough to confirm Shun's suspicions about the tension between the two and the missing Misaki girl. Something was going on and a gut feeling told him that it was going to change all of their lives and that didn't mean that it had to be in a positive way.

He was going to find out why Runo had suddenly disappeared without informing anyone and ask her about this 'sickness' of hers. He would get to the bottom of this one way or another….

**TBC**

**There you go guys! The second Chapter is up and ready for you to read! Review and tell me if you liked it. The third chapter will be up soon! And don't forget: READ AND REVIEW!**

**Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3:Starting Over

**Chapter 3:Starting over**

Runo stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. And she didn't like what she saw. In front of her stood nothing but a ghost. Only a shadow of her happy and positive past self. A stranger. Someone she didn't know. A week after her talk with Tigrerra and she still hadn't gone out. She was preparing. Preparing herself for what was to come. The upcoming interrogation-like questions her friends would throw at her. And she couldn't really blame them for that. She had just disappeared without leaving a trace after all. Only at the thought of their happy faces she felt her lips form a smile.

She was sure that Julie would jump on her and start shouting at her ear for not calling her and for missing their weekly shopping trips. Marucho would try to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why she hadn't been around for so long. Strange boy. Always with the scientific ways. And there was Shun. He would be the calmer one. Probably greet her with a friendly pat on the shoulder and a polite welcome. She knew that he wouldn't ask any questions. He respected her privacy. Shun. If anyone had told her a few years back that she would enjoy being around the Kazami boy so much, she would have laughed at them. Tell them that they are crazy and that it was never gonna happen. Shun was way too calm and silent for her at that particular moment in her life.

She was almost sure that no one had seen their growing friendship coming. She enjoyed being around the young ninja. He was…..calming. No matter the situation, when she was upset or frustrated by something, she found herself relaxing in his presence. Even at the thought of him she felt a strange calmness inside her. He was a good friend and she wasn't going to give that up for anything. Not even Dan would keep her away from her dear friends.

Dan.

The real smile that her lips had formed after what seemed like ages fell automatically as her mind drifted to her ruby-eyed ex-boyfriend.

She was preparing for that too. For the inevitable meeting that was to come sooner or later. She couldn't run or hide in her room like a coward forever. She would have to face him and Alice. And with them she would have to face her fears. A part of her knew that, if she wanted to continue on with her life, she would have to stand in front of him and accept the fact that they were never meant to be.

She looked at the bathroom mirror yet again and the image of the ruined Runo was still there. Staring back at her and mocking her for being weak. For staying in her room for so long without doing anything like a coward, for giving up even for a while. And she didn't like that image. Not now not ever. She looked at her hair. Tangled and somewhat dirty. Then her eyes. Dull and lifeless. She was still in her sleeping clothes.

She looked down and wondered if what she was seeing was really her or an imposter. A really bad one at that. Her fists clenched and her nails became white from the pressure. She looked up again and the determined fire that Tigrerra had seen a week ago was back and raging. She was going to change. The Runo that was going to step out of the front door was going to be a new Runo. A refreshed and strong Runo that no one could bring down.

But first… she needed a bath.

oXShunAndRunoXo

Shun was deep in thought as he walked down the road. He didn't have an actual destination. He just needed some time alone to think. And he couldn't have this piece and quite when he was at home. The constant bickering of his grandfather about getting more training done was extremely nerve wrecking at times. But that was the least of his problems.

Something was wrong. He could see it the other day in Dan's eyes. Alice, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, was about to break down.

He knew, he was absolutely sure that it had to do something with Runo's disappearance. Somehow these two incidents had to be connected. And by the looks of it, it wasn't something pleasant.

Could it be just a small unimportant conflict between the couple? But why was Dan so tense and Alice so distressed? And Runo? She had just disappeared. It's not like it was their very first fight. These thoughts ran through his head not really noticing where he was heading.

And before he knew it, he collided with something or someone knocking both of them back and on the hard ground. He should have been able to avoid this fall but he was so deep in thought that not even his sharp ninja senses could warn him soon enough for the upcoming impact. But before he fell her got to see blue eyes. Sea-foam blue eyes.

oXShunAndRunoXo

Runo walked slowly down the stairs wearing a white top that was decorated with a light blue, flower pattern and dark blue shorts. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and a few shorter bangs framed her face. Some of the color had returned to her cheeks and after a nice, hot bath and a good meal she felt refreshed and stronger. Tigrerra was as always on her shoulder silently feeling proud of Runo and her will to move on and start over. If she could, a wide smile would have been spread on her face. She walked down without making a sound and slightly startling her parents when she greeted them with a rather loud 'good morning'.

"Oh, Runo!" exclaimed her mother when she turned to her "Didn't hear you coming down! How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess. " answered the girl with a nod of her head.

"Are you over that depression thing you had?" asked her father a little too casually. What did she expect? He was her father but he was also a man and men can't really understand what women go through in various aspects of their lives. But she loved him nonetheless.

" Yeah, that phase is over now and I am back to my old self" _I hope_. She kept the last part to herself.

"That's wonderful!" said Mrs. Misaki with a happy and somewhat relieved expression on her face. "Now why don't you go and take a walk outside? Breathe some fresh air, sort out your thoughts and of course hang out with your friends and Dan!"

She tried her hardest not to flinch at the mention of his name.

"Yes of course. Actually I was about to ask you if you need any help here so I could go out."

"But of course honey!" said her father " Go out! Have some fun! We can manage here."

"Thanks dad." Said the girl and sent the older man a grateful smile. " I am going now. I f you need anything just call me." And with that the blue-haired woman turned the door knob. She stepped out of the family restaurant and closed the door behind her.

But what happened next was something she hadn't expected.

No more that a second after she got out she felt herself collide with someone effectively knocking them on the ground. But with her quite keen vision she got to see a mop of dark hair and a mesmerizing pair of golden eyes.

oXShunAndRunoXo

Runo winched at the pain that crept up on her back and head. Her eyes were now closed and she couldn't see the person that she had bumped into. Or better, the person that had bumped into _her._

She let out a soft 'ouch' as she tried to rid herself of the dazed feeling she got after the sudden fall. She stood up with little effort and dusted herself off. She looked up to finally meet the reason for her fall right outside their family restaurant only to be met with-

"Shun?" asked the girl with a confused but clearly relieved look. She was glad that it was Shun that she bumped into. Not only because he was a dear and understanding friend but also because it could have been Dan or Alice in his place. Well, that would be extremely uncomfortable and difficult for them to pass. And that relief didn't go unnoticed by the ninja boy's trained eye.

"Runo" he said with a slightly relieved edge at his voice. "It is good to see you fine and healthy. You had us worried of your well being." _You had __**me **__worried about your well being._ The last part he kept to himself.

"Oh it was….nothing important. The thing is that I am back now and feeling a lot better" she lied. Well, it wasn't _nothing_ but she did feel a lot better than before. She sent him a small smile. Not a fake one but it wasn't one of her wide grins either. But Shun knew from the very beginning that something was off. The very moment that smile formed on her pink lips he was alerted. It just didn't fit Runo's face.

"So" she started " where are you heading?"

Her soft voice broke him out of his thoughts. Another clue that Runo wasn't her normal self. Her voice was NEVER soft.

"Oh, nowhere in particular. Just breathing some fresh air after a day of hard training."

"I was about to take a walk myself. But not after a day of hard training. For me it is more like breathing fresh air after four weeks of sulking in my bedroom. So don't expect any amazing stories of adventures with aliens" she said and her smile visibly widened. Something in that smile put Shun at ease. That smile was more like the Runo he knew and liked( **A/N:** Now, I leave it to your imagination to understand what this 'like' means. *wink*).

"Then, would you like to accompany me in a not-so-adventurous-as-your-weeks-in-your-room walk?" asked the boy with a teasing smile(**A/N: **As you have already guessed the characters are going to be slightly OOC) as he looked at his friend. He had truly missed her and also, this walk could be the perfect opportunity to discover what was really going on.

Runo had already taken the hand Shun had offered and was on her feet ready to go at any moment.

"Sure" she said and the boy could recognize happiness in her voice. " It has been a while since the last time I went out with friends" and her face was lit up by one of her heart warming smiles. Now, that was the smile that he expected from her.

He started to walk down the road towards the town when he turned to her only to see her standing there unmoving.

Runo stood there with her eyes glued on the ground. This was it. It was now or never. She couldn't back down. Not after all the effort she had put into deciding to start over. Dan could go jump over a cliff for all she cared. Well, she did care but she also had to care for herself. She had to be a little selfish sometimes. Think about herself for once.

Yeah, a walk would be great for her. Fresh air and a good stretch of her muscles. And the other thing was that she had Shun. He was there with her and that made her feel a lot better. He would help her if she needed it. While she absolutely hated asking her friends( or anyone else for that matter) to help her, she knew that she would need someone's help sooner or later. And if she had to ask for someone's assistance that would be Shun's. His calm and collected character was a great aspect of the boy and she appreciated greatly his advice and logical solutions to problems. He wouldn't let his feelings take over him and she knew that if there was someone on this Planet that could help her at this moment of her life, it was Shun. Yes, the Kazami boy was the best choice. And he was also a very good friend. She could talk to him and he wouldn't run around to tell the news(Julie) or try to show her that she was right or wrong with the help of science(Marucho).

"Are you coming Runo?" Shun's deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she found herself standing there staring at the floor. Yeah, that was bound to look strange.

"Oh yeah, sorry. Just got lost in thought" she answered with a sheepish smile and started walking towards him.

Shun stared at her for a while as she came to stand beside him and they stared walking together.

_Lost in thought huh? What thoughts were you lost into Runo? Are Dan and Alice involved? What are you hiding from us? I guess I'll have to find out on my own. One way or another. And a little game that I have in mind might be just the right way._

** TBC**

**There you go! There goes and the third chapter! Hope you liked it! The forth chapter will be up soon! If you have any ideas that you would like to see in the next chapters feel free to share them with me and I will try to fit them in the story. **

**And don't forget: READ AND REVIEW! **

**Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4: You fooled me!

**Chapter 4: You… you fooled me!**

A comfortable silence-at the beginning at least- spread between Shun and Runo as the two walked slowly down the already filled streets of the town.

Runo was feeling a little nervous. Several minutes had already passed and Shun hadn't asked her a question yet. And that made her feel a little uneasy. She had expected at least one question about her time in isolation. But he hadn't uttered a word. That was something she hadn't expected. Something was going on and she knew it. Something she wouldn't like. She just knew it.

Shun on the other hand was going over his plan once more. He would put it into action soon. He only hoped for positive results. Knowing Runo she would be really careful with her answers. But if he could trick her into revealing what he wanted, then he would be pleased. He only had to say the right thing at the right time.

She expected questions from him; he could see it at the way she sent him careful glances and her tense shoulders. But no, he wasn't going to give her the pleasure of telling him the lines that he was sure she had prepared while she was home for any questions that would be probably asked. And right now that's what he wanted, to make her so nervous, she wouldn't be able to even think straight. He knew that it was bad using her nervousness to pry information out of her about what had really happened but it was for her own good.

It was almost noon when they finally stopped to sit on a bench at the park. The once comfortable silence had turned into a heavy atmosphere with Runo's nervousness being the main, in that cloud of emotions.

Shun wasn't really anxious but he still hoped that his plan would work. It had to work. He knew that the simple questions of 'where have you been' or ' are you ok now' that Julie would most likely throw at the Misaki girl would take him nowhere. He had to play a little. And this small, innocent game might as well be the answer to this unexpected problem of their brawling group.

They sat on the bench and watched as the people came and went by.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Shun opened his mouth to speak.

"So" he started "how have you been?" Typical question and a good start. Wouldn't raise her suspicion at all.

"Fine I guess" answered the girl.

"You guess?" he continued trying to get the conversation where he wanted.

"I…I was having some…issues. Yeah, some issues. But now I am fine" she stated, hoping that he wouldn't ask about these issues of hers.

"Oh, really now? Did you find solutions to these…..issues of yours?" he asked while narrowing his eyes. He wanted to show her that he wasn't so convinced.

"Uhhh….you could say that there are still some things that I have to sort out" she said, thinking about the situation with Alice. Yes, she broke up with Dan but Alice lived with her. And she would never kick her out because of a boy. Even if that boy was supposed to be the love of her life.

_Things to sort out huh? I guess, I should start playing the game too Runo._

"I hope you end up with the results you wish for. But I need to talk to you about something. I am slightly worried about Dan and Alice" he didn't miss the way she instantly tensed and he fought down the urge to smirk. They were getting somewhere. And sooner than he thought. " Yes, I am worried about them. They have been acting weird for the past few weeks. They seem upset about something. It started around the time that you disappeared." He glanced at her with a meaningful look "Could it be that these 'things' that you have to sort out are somehow connected to Dan and Alice, maybe?" he asked casually and he saw her eyes widen.

"D-Dan and Alice? N-No. How did you come up with something like that?" she asked trying to keep her voice steady but failing miserably. Did Shun know? Did Dan tell him?

"Runo" ha started and his voice held no casualty. It was dead serious. " I am not stupid. I know that something is wrong. I felt it the moment I saw Dan and Alice and I can feel it now that I am with you."

"W-What are you talking about?T-There is n-nothing wrong-"

"Yes there is" he cut her off "and Dan told me everything"

He saw her eyes widen and fought down the smirk that was threatening to surface. His plan was working. He only had to say the right things next.

"H-h-he told you e-everything?" asked the almost trembling girl and her voice faltered. How could Dan do that? It was personal. He couldn't go and tell the first person he came upon. Don't get her wrong. Shun wasn't a person Dan just came upon , but still….It was something he didn't need to know. Suddenly she felt anger rise inside her and she lowered her head so the Kazami boy wouldn't be able to see her full of rage expression.

"Oh really?" she said lowly "What exactly did he tell you?"

"His side of the story" said Shun and his many years of ninja training allowed him to see the rage, anger but also the dangerous aura that was emitting from the girl.

"His side of the story huh?" her voice was dripping with venom. "Oh, did he tell you that I found them, my so loyal boyfriend and my shy so called sister, on my bed kissing?" she spat at him. She didn't mean to sound that way towards him but her fury ruled over her logic. She wasn't sure that Dan had told Shun everything but her aching heart ruled over her mind.

Shun was left speechless. Dan ….did what? He-he cheated on Runo with Alice? How could he do that? With Alice? How could he do that to Runo in the first place? After all she had done for him? He was either unbelievably stupid or he wasn't the nice boy he was supposed to be. Shun's eyes were wide as he spoke.

"He did what?"Shun couldn't help but ask that question even though he knew that it would blow his cover.

"What? Didn't he tell you of his little affair with Alice?" she spat once more but her anger was slowly fading and sorrow took its place.

Shun slowly recovered from the shock he was in.

" To tell you the truth, the last time I saw him was a week ago when he told us that you were just sick"

Runo turned abruptly to face him.

"What do you mean, he told you I was sick?"

"Well, we didn't know where you were or if you were fine so we asked Dan and Alice. Julie called all of us to meet at the park for that particular reason. Dan said that you were sick and Alice just confirmed it. But the way the two of them acted I could tell that there was something wrong" he finished and watched amused as Runo's eyes widened…again.

"Wait" she said "You mean that he tried to excuse my absence by telling you that I was sick?" She had a bewildered look on her face.

"A nasty cold to be exact, confirmed by Alice. Something about you getting cold and not taking proper care of yourself" stated Shun the amusement still visible in his golden eyes.

"Oh, I am so going to kill him! Cheating ex-boyfriend or not I am going to rip him apart! Coward! He didn't have the balls to tell you the truth! That , that….jerk!" Runo shouted attracting the attention of some of the people that were passing by.

"Stupid, self centered jerk. Telling you that I was 'just sick!" she mumbled under her breath with her arms crossed.

But then it clicked.

"Wait" she said again turning to face the boy beside her "You said that he told you everything, yet you just said that the only thing that he told you was that I was sick. And that's what he told everyone. And you seemed shocked when I told about Dan and Alice. Which means…."

"Yeah, that you fell right into my little game and told me everything yourself without me even asking, you should be more careful Runo."said the boy with and amusement in his eyes and a wide smirk spread on his handsome face.

Runo stood there looking at him like he had just grown two heads.

"You…You….bastard!" she yelled while pointing an accusing finger towards him.

"Language Runo. My,my….so unlady like." he teased her and failed to fight another upcoming smirk.

"You…..you fooled me!"

"And it wasn't that difficult to tell you the truth. I expected more of a challenge."

Shun couldn't help but tease her. Her reactions were priceless.

Runo shot up and her face was clouded with (fake) anger.

"You stupid, arrogant, cocky, tricky, idiotic bastard! You tricked me!" she shouted and started to throw anything she could find, at him. Which happened to be rocks that she picked up from the ground.

Using his ninja skills the boy shiftily avoided being hit by the offensive objects.

"Wow, you have a wide vocabulary Misaki. I am impressed" he said mocking her.

But he didn't see the stone coming and the next moment he found himself on the ground with throbbing pain hammering his head.

"Idiot" he heard her say.

He stood up somewhat shakily as he was still dazed from the impact with the stone and looked at her. Ninja or not he wasn't prepared for that. She wasn't looking at him. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and she was facing the other way.

"Crazy girl. You could have killed me!" he continued with fake anger.

"And maybe I should have! Idiot. That's what you get for tricking me into telling you about my personal life! It was none of your business!"

Their eyes clashed and his previous amusement had vanished.

"If it concerns my friends and the well being of our group then it is my business as much as it is yours" he said and Runo knew that he was telling the truth.

She turned away once more and started tapping her foot on the ground. She sent him a few looks when finally she turned to face him fully.

"Ok,ok! I am sorry!" she exclaimed while throwing her hands up in the air.

"What? I didn't hear you very well. Must be because of the impact with the stone." he said taking advantage of the situation and his previous smirk returned.

Runo glared at him with all her might but he seemed unfazed by her deadly intentions.

"Don't make me say it again 'cause I might as well kill you before I get to Dan"

Shun put his hands in front of him taking a surrendering stance.

"Ok, don't get mad at me. I just wanted to know what's going on so we could know what we are about to face. Now, why didn't you tell us anything? Or better, why didn't you tell me anything?" he asked and sat on the bench once more.

Runo stood there for a few minutes without speaking and wondering if she should just turn back and go home.

Finally she sighed and went to sit beside him. She couldn't turn back now. He knew the truth. She might as well tell him everything. Maybe it would be good for her to talk to someone other than Tigrerra, speaking of which, was sitting with Ingram on the far corner of the bench watching their masters.

"I am asking you again. Why didn't you say something?" asked the boy once more and watched her carefully.

The girl hesitated for a while but opened her mouth to speak.

"After the 'incident' I was like a zombie. Eating and sleeping but dead on the inside. I wasn't ready to face any of you. And ,after all, it is my problem. I didn't want to worry you and put more pressure on your shoulders that you already have. And I didn't want you guys to shun Dan out. You are everything to him and without his friends he is vulnerable. One emotionally crashed brawler is enough, we do not need another. And after all, I had to face the first weeks alone. That was the only way to get over the fact that Dan and I were never meant to be. With Alice it's just out of the question. I could never do something that would hurt her. I love her too much for that. Even after everything that happened. Although, she doesn't sleep in my room anymore."

Shun watched her as she spoke. Dan did the worst thing he could have done to her and she still cared about him. And it was the same with Alice. _Just how much love do you have in your heart for then and your friends Runo?_ He silently asked. If he was in her shoes he would have killed both of them. Well, not exactly kill them, but he would for sure, not be concerned about what would happen to them next.

"So you and Dan are no longer….you know" he asked, even though he knew the answer to that already, when she finished her story. A little more teasing wouldn't hurt.

She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Are you kidding me? After all these? Of course not! I would be really stupid if I did that" she answered and Shun found it best to stop there. He had learnt enough. And he was, for sure, going to change the way he handled Dan. He wasn't going to act like he didn't exist but after all these it would take a lot of time for Shun to trust him again.

He stood up. Runo looked at him and stood as well.

"Ok" he said "Enough for today. Let's get you home before Mr. Misaki kills me for keeping you out for so long" The last statement was accompanied by a smirk.

Runo smiled and they started walking.

"So how is your head?"she asked feeling a little guilty for throwing that stone even though he had it coming.

"Would have been better if it wasn't for your killing intentions." He said barely avoiding a smack that was meant to worsen his already growing headache. But Runo didn't need to know that. He laughed as he watched her previously somewhat guilty expression turn into a glare once more.

"Idiot" said Runo and crossed her arms in front of her once more.

She watched from the corner of her eyes and her glare soon turned into a smile. The sound of his laugh made her smile widen and soon she found herself laughing with him and they walked together towards Runo's house not really noticing the small smiles that were sent their way from some of the people that were passing by and the low squeals of how cute they look together by some of the women that were also watching them.

That night, as Runo lied on her bed, a small smile graced her lips.

Her new life was taking a really nice turn. A really nice turn indeed…

**TBC**

**Ok guys! The forth chapter is up! Hope you liked it! I sure enjoyed writing it! Well, Read and review to tell me what you think! Sorry for any mistakes that I might have done!**

**Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5:Between Friends?

**Chapter 5:Between Friends?**

Runo felt a lot better after her …..eventful morning with Shun. He knew the whole truth now and she felt relieved to know that she was not alone in this, that she could turn to someone for help if needed even though she hated it.

Her lips formed a tender smile as the scene that took place before they parted ways in front of her house replayed in her mind.

**Flashback**

_The remaining distance to Runo's house was covered in silence. A comfortable one. The two, Shun and Runo, had come to a silent agreement. They weren't to speak to anyone about this meeting. About Shun knowing the truth. Even though, Shun had confessed that he would like it really much if he could rub it in Dan's face that he knew the truth and that he was a jerk. But the Misaki girl prevented him from doing that. It would do them no good to begin a rivalry between the two boys. It would only lead to disaster. So, they chose to keep it a secret. Runo wasn't ready to face the group…..yet. And Shun couldn't just go and reveal something like that to the others. _

_So, they walked in silence with a few comments here and there about shops._

_The walk seemed to be too short to both of them when in reality it was a quite long distance. _

_They both had content expressions on their faces. Runo because she wasn't alone in this anymore and Shun because he would be able to help his friend if needed. _

_They reached Runo's house and stopped. Runo turned to face him and they both stared at each other, neither of them speaking._

_Runo scratched the back of her head in a clear sign of her nervousness. It was kind of awkward, Shun walking her home and all. She didn't really know what to say so she chose to stick to the typical lines. It wasn't their first time alone but this time it was different. She had never thought that Shun would be offering her his comfort. And it was about an emotional matter too. So it was kind of hard for Runo to find the right words to say to express her gratitude._

"_Uhhmm…..Thanks for the company" she finally said. It was lame but it was the first thing that came to her._

_Shun wasn't any different either. It was the first time he had to deal with an emotionally troubled girl and he didn't exactly know what to do. Well, you could say that he followed his instinct. Tell him to fight Naga and he would do it without a second thought if it meant protecting his loved ones but tell him to comfort an upset girl and his mind would shut down. Yeah, not and the best of things right now._

"_Don't mention it. It was nothing" he answered and fought down the urge to scratch his head the same way that Runo did. _

_The Misaki girl took a few hesitant steps back and towards her house's door. _

"_I guess, I will go inside now. My parents will be waiting"_

"_Yes, you should go. I guess I'll be going too now. I'll see you around" he continued with a nod of his head and turned to leave._

'_Oh come on Runo! Don't let him leave like that! He helped you so much by….tricking you into revealing the situation with Dan and Alice…. But that's not the point! He still knows the truth and he will help you if needed. You have to thank him properly.' _

_These thoughts ran through Runo's head as she watched Shun's retreating form. And before she could stop herself….._

"_Shun! Wait!" she shouted and ran after him._

_Said boy turned to face her with a questioning look adorning his handsome face._

"_Runo? Is there anything you-" he didn't get to finish his sentence when Runo flung her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. Runo was mentally cursing herself for her impulsive ways. But she didn't let go. To say that Shun was shocked would be an understatement. Runo had never showed public affection to anyone but Dan. It was extremely strange for her to just run up to him and hug him. _

_However, her next words relaxed him and made a smile come to his face._

"_Thank you. For letting me share this with you. Even though you tricked me into telling you" she whispered in his ear and he could almost feel the smile that was for sure on her face. _

_He put his arms around her waist and tightened his grip._

"_You know you can count on me for help right? Even though I tricked you into telling me" his own smile widened as she let out a melodic laugh. _

"_Yeah, I know" she said and allowed her hands to fall from around Shun's neck as he released his hold on her. _

"_You should get going now. Your parents will be worried" he said and watched as she nodded and turned to walk towards her house once more._

"_Yeah, see you around Shun!" she yelled over her shoulder and waved at him as she ran to her house._

"_See you around Runo" he said but knew that she couldn't hear him. _

_He waited until her form disappeared inside the house before he too turned to leave. _

_He chose to ignore the warm feeling that he got in his chest when she put her arms around his neck or the smile that didn't leave his lips that afternoon. _

_Runo was panting when she reached her room and leaned on the door of her room for support. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding._

_A smile made its way to her lips once more and for some odd reason she couldn't shake the secure feeling that she got the moment Shun put his strong arms around her delicate waist. _

_She chose to rid herself of thoughts like that and she let herself fall on her bed with a 'thud'. _

_She closed her eyes and, even though it was only early in the afternoon, sleep consumed her almost immediately._

**End Flashback**

Yes, her move was completely impulsive and someone might as well call her an idiot. But for some strange reason she didn't regret it. She didn't regret hugging him. It was a thank you after all. Just a friendly hug. A friendly thank you.

But still…..it was odd. The feeling she got when he put his arms around her. Secure, safe content… She felt like there was nothing that could harm her, nothing to worry about… it was indeed strange. But completely platonic and between friends. Yes, just friends she told herself. She needed comfort and like the good friend he was, he gave it to her. Yeah, just friends. It was strange how many times she found herself mentioning the word 'friend'.

It seemed like she was trying to convince herself about something.

'No' she shook her head. Shun was just a really good friend that was just offering his help. And she was grateful for that. More grateful than she could put into words.

Yes, with Shun's help and support she would be able to get over Dan and continue on with her life. A new life. A life without….Dan.

It was around midnight and she couldn't sleep. The peaceful nap that she took in the afternoon was also one of the reasons that she couldn't get lost in the realm of dreams.

Another one was the excitement that was rising inside her. The thing was, that she didn't know why she was excited. She couldn't remember the last itme she was so full of energy.

Maybe it was the fact that she was beginning a new life. Making a new start. Yes, it could be that. A new life…It sounded so strange. She never thought that she would be going through an emotional break-down. She liked to believe in fairy-tales. The prince charming that will come to save the princess from the evil dragon. She used to believe that Dan was her prince. As it seemed Dan had chosen another princess to save.

She shook her head to get rid of these thoughts and the feeling of betrayal that started to surface yet again. She wouldn't allow herself to drown in her self-pity. No. She would remain strong. And with Tigrerra by her side she was going to keep her head high. Like the prideful young woman she was. Like the prideful young brawler she was. And like the prideful Runo Misaki she was.

She would make sure of that. With that thought in mind and a satisfied smile on her lips she grabbed her favorite book from the bedside table and started reading her favorite love story. Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.

What neither Shun nor Runo knew was that their moment of friendly affection didn't go unnoticed. One Danniel Kuso saw the whole thing. And he didn't like it. He didn't like at all…

oXShunAndRunoXo

Dan came out of small bush that he had jumped into the moment he saw the duo of Shun and Runo come towards Runo's house.

He frowned as he remembered the scene that unfolded form there.

The reason he was there was, once again, to try and explain everything to Runo. In vain as it seemed.

What were the two doing together? What business did Shun have with Runo? And the question that bugged him the most was: why did Runo seem so happy?

She was supposed to be upset, right? She was supposed to be broken after their break-up, right? Then why did she seem so happy with Shun? What were those content smiles and that affectionate hug? Could it be that she had replaced him with Shun and just a few weeks after their rather nasty break-up?

No, it couldn't be. Run wasn't like that. Did Alice lie to him when she told him that Runo had stayed in her room for four weeks without going out? No, Alice wasn't like that. She wouldn't lie to him about this. But again, it possible that Alice had misunderstood Runo's isolation in her room for grief. Maybe it was something else.

Dan's eyes widened as one particular thought crossed his head.

What if…What if it was all an act?

A faked grief, a faked heartbreak….

What if….What if Runo had been in a secret relationship with…..with Shun even before their break up?

Dan clenched his fists. Could it really be true? Could it be that Runo had cheated on him with Shun Kazami?

No! It was impossible! Runo wasn't supposed to fall in love with another! She wasn't supposed to cheat on him! She was supposed to be in love with Danniel Kuso and not with Shun Kazami!

But yet again, he wasn't supposed to cheat on her either…..

He couldn't believe his own thoughts!

What if he was right and Runo was indeed in a secret relationship with Shun?

What if she was indeed cheating on him?

No, he couldn't allow that. Call it pride, call it selfishness or it could always be the part of him that was still in love with Runo-he would always love Runo more than anyone. He wasn't sure about the motive but he knew that he did not like the way things were turning out.

And that hug?

Runo had run to Shun like her life depended on it. She whispered something in his ear and he whispered something in hers in return. What could it be? A secret 'I love you' and 'I love you too'?

He felt a strong wave of jealousy hit him.

It was possible. The melodic laugh that Runo had let out after the affectionate interaction was one of happiness. The one that was meant for him and only him.

She wasn't supposed to offer that smile to anyone but him! It was his smile! His and only his!

There was something in Shun's eyes when he watched Runo get inside her house.

Dan had seen it clearly. A small flame. Small but it was there.

No. He wouldn't allow Runo to be taken from him.

No matter the situation between him and the blue haired girl there had to be a small spark between them. She couldn't have forgotten him that fast!

He clenched his fists once more and a determined look adorned his face.

Shun would not take Runo away from him.

He would make sure of that…..

**TBC**

**Fifth chapter is up! I am really sorry for the late update! I had tones of work to do for school! And as we see it's the beginning of something between Shun and Runo! Poor Dan! Now he will learn what jealousy means! Hope you like it! **

**And don't forget: Read and Review!**

**Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6:Heathcliff and Kathrin

**Chapter 6:Heathcliff and Kathrin**

The early sun rays woke Runo up the next morning. She closed her still sleepy eyes to protect them from the light. The book that she remembered reading the previous night was lying open on her stomach. She loved that book. The love that was never meant to be in the world of living but so strong that the hearts of Heathcliff and Kathrin were reunited in the afterlife.

Runo let out a dreamy sigh and closed the book before setting it on her bedside table for later use. She looked at the alarm clock that stood also on her bedside table. It read 7:12. It was pretty early and the restaurant wouldn't be opened for a couple more hours. She tried falling back to sleep but she found herself unable to.

She shook the covers off her and stood up. She stretched her, still sore from the sleep, muscles and went to the half opened window. The early sky was cloudless and the sun was making its way over the horizon. She loved the orange-pink color of the early sun. It made her feel like she was in a land of dreams where everything was at peace and nothing could harm her. Like Heathcliff and Kathrin.

She went to her closet and chose a pair of black athletic shorts and a fitting white T-shirt. She went to the bathroom to wash the sleep from her eyes and brush her teeth. She pulled her hair, that was out of its usual pigtails, up in a high ponytail and walked down down the stairs silently. She didn't want to wake her parents. Last night was a difficult night for all of them. The restaurant was full and some of the costumers didn't leave even when the clock showed midnight.

Runo opened the front door without making a sound and locked it again after stepping out. She started walking towards the park where she would be exercising for the next hour and a half.

The sky was cloudless and the wonderful colors of the early sun washed over her like an orange-pink waterfall. She stopped walking for a while and closed her sea-foam eyes. She stood there enjoying the peaceful moment that she knew wouldn't be there after a couple of hours.

With a dreamy sigh she reopened her eyes and a few minutes later she found her self standing in the park.

The park.

So many memories, good and bad, came to her that she had to steady herself by leaning on a nearby tree.

The sound of a bird singing brought her out of her thoughts and she shook her head to clear it. She didn't need to think of these right now. It was something that she didn't need.

She stretched her muscles a little to warm up and she started jogging down a small path that was ideal for such tasks. Many thoughts run through her head. And no matter how many times she tried to block them out, the images of Dan and Alice came to her mind. And in particular the image of the two of them kissing. Pain shot through her and her heart clenched. She was the one that Dan should love, the one that he should kiss, the one that he should hold…..

Runo shook her head to get rid of these torturing thoughts. Whatever she had with Dan was over. She couldn't go on like this. She couldn't continue living with Dan and Alice hunting her every thought. No. She had to stop. For crying out loud, she wasn't that weak! She couldn't be that weak! Dan was…..her first love, her first boyfriend, the one to steal her first kiss. But….that was over and she couldn't live with the shadows of a pained past hunting her in her life. Because that's what it was. The past. A past that she should forget.

She was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts when she stepped on a rock and almost fell. She looked around and found herself at the verge of the park. She had been running for almost an hour. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she lost track of time. The sun was up and she could see the opened windows of some of the surrounding houses. She had to go back. Her parents would need her help sooner or later.

She turned on her heels and started running towards the opposite direction where their family restaurant was located. Her parents were sure to be awake by now and down in the kitchen preparing for the costumers that were sure to come later in the morning.

She was sweaty and her white top clung to her body.

Suddenly she heard a rustling sound in the bushes nearby but she didn't slow her pace which resulted in her colliding with someone.

She fell on her butt and let out a pained sigh. Her eyes were closed as she rubbed her head.

"Oh I am sorry. Didn't see you there" she heard a voice from above her.

Wait that voice could only belong to-

"Shun?" she asked.

"Runo? What are you doing here?" the boy asked with a questioning glance.

Runo stood up and brushed the dust off her clothes.

"Well, I was jogging when I heard something in the bushes. I got distracted and collided with you. I am sorry." said the girl with an apologetic smile.

"Don't mention it. It was my fault too. So where are you heading to now?"

"OH, nowhere. I am just going back to the restaurant. My parents will open the restaurant soon and they are going to need my help for sure." said the sea-foam eyed girl and a giggle left her full lips.

Shun smiled at the girl in front of him.

" I will accompany you then. I was training in a field nearby and I am heading back now. My grandfather needs me to run an errand for him."

"Sure. I can use some company right now." said the girl and started walking side by side with the ninja boy.

They walked in silence for a few minutes.

"So, how are you?" asked the boy.

"If you mean how I am coping with the fact that my ex-boyfriend hooked up with my best friend behind my back, then no. I'm not ok." said Runo and turned her head elsewhere.

"Runo, I didn't want to bring up painful memories. I am just worried about you. What you are going through in not easy. But you have to face it. You can't go on living like this. You have to face it head on. "

"I know Shun, I know. And I am trying so hard to forget, to mend my broken heart and move on. But it hurts Shun, it hurts so much that, sometimes, it takes my breath away. Sometimes I wish I was never born." the girl said with a cracked voice and tears started running down her face before she could hold them back. She didn't want to seem weak in front of Shun. But it hurt. It hurt so much damn it!

Shun looked at the girl beside him and he felt like he was seeing a different side of the Misaki girl. A side that was hidden deep inside her and that no one had seen ever again. It was more like the real Runo. The Runo that the girl buried in the deepest and darkest corner of her being a month ago. And right now that side was surfacing again. It was a good sign but still…his friend was hurt and no medicine could heal those wounds.

"Oh, Runo" said the boy with a sigh as he brought his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to his body. "Please don't cry. Crying won't get you anywhere. It will only hurt you more. Erase the painful memories from your mind and move on. You can't go on like this. You can't go on living with the past hunting you. You have to move on." said the boy and anyone would be able to hear the concern for his friend in his voice.

Runo said nothing and kept crying in Shun's chest while he had his arms around her.

Several minutes passed and the only thing that could be heard were Runo's sobs. Shun didn't know if his words had helped the crying girl and her lack of response wasn't helping either.

"Thank you Shun. Thank you so much"

Said boy looked down and right in a pair of sea-foam eyes, wet and red from the tears.

"Why are you thanking me?" asked the boy and he found himself unable to turn his own eyes elsewhere.

"For everything that you have done for me. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here for me." said the girl and without really knowing it buried her face more in his chest.

"Oh, Runo. There is nothing to thank me about. All I do, I do it because I care about you." answered the boy and a small smile formed on his lips. His arms tightened around her smaller form and he felt a long sigh leave her rosy lips. At least she had stopped crying.

They walked in silence for a while when to his surprise, Shun heard a small giggle come from the girl.

"What? What is it?" asked the boy a little surprised by her sudden reaction.

Runo's giggle turned into a fit of laughter and Shun found himself laughing along with her.

"OK now, why are we laughing?" asked the boy after they stopped and found their breath again.

"It's just that I never thought you would be the one to comfort me. I mean a few years back, we weren't what someone would call close." answered the girl and a big smile lit her face.

Shun understood her point. They weren't that close. And he was sure that their growing friendship was something that no one had expected. Heck, not even themselves had expected that! But she was right. It was kind of funny to think of himself comforting a crying girl and on an emotional matter nonetheless!

"Yeah, I guess you are right" answered the boy and a small smirk made its way to his lips.

The sun was high up in the cloudless, blue sky and the people were already up and on their way to their jobs. The birds were singing and they could see a few squirrels on the tree branches.

The cold atmosphere of the early morning had passed and it's place had taken the warm rays of the sun. It had to be around 8:30 and Runo was late.

" I think we should walk a little faster Shun. I am late and my parents are going to be mad at me for not being there on time" said the girl and looked up at him.

"Yeah, my grandfather will also be angry if I don't run that errand" nodded the ninja boy as they sped up towards their houses.

"Shun?"

"Yeah?"

"It was a nice morning and I feel a lot better now, thank you"

"As I've told you before there is nothing to thank me about. You are my friend and I care about your well being. I don't like seeing you hurt and be sure that Dan will pay for what he did to you" said the boy with firm determination shinning in his honey-colored eyes.

"Dan? Pay? You are not going to do anything stupid or something right?" Shun wasn't like that. He wouldn't do anything stupid…..right? Shun's laughter pulled her out of her thoughts.

"What? Why are you laughing? What did I say?"asked the girl with a frown on her beautiful face.

"I never said that I would be the one to take revenge on him. I am not going to kick his ass if that is what you are thinking. After what he did , I don't even consider him worth of my time and I am sorry if what I say hurts you. But after all these he will have to gain my trust all over again. Don't worry. I think that he is already regretting what he did. He lost you. I think that it is a good enough punishment"

Runo looked at him for a while and then turned her eyes on the road in front of her.

Neither spoke after that and a comfortable silence spread between them as they walked.

No words were needed. They had come to a silent agreement. Runo would try to move on and Shun would be there for her for everything she needed.

However what they didn't notice was the fact that they didn't change their position. Runo still had her face buried in Shun's chest and the boy's protective hold around the fragile –looking girl hadn't loosened in the bit…..


	7. Chapter 7:Fight

**Chapter 7:Fight**

Runo ran a hand through her hair that was up in a ponytail and whipped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. It had been a tiring morning. More customers than usual. Her parents had already retired for a nap before they would have to open up the restaurant for the night. Runo had stayed down in the restaurant to finish cleaning up the tables and the floor. She had already finished washing and drying the dishes and had moved on to mopping the floor.

She started cleaning the floor with the mop in her hand by doing circular movements. Around and under the tables, the corners, behind the bar. She stated humming a soft tune and small smile found its way to her lips. Gradually her humming became a little louder and she started murmuring the lyrics of the song.

_Now when life gets tough,_

_I'm quick to hurry up,_

_I run all day, I run through the night,_

_I'll break down walls, I'll hit up high_

'Maybe I should do as the song says. Maybe I should move on. Remaining stuck in the past…it does me no good. Maybe it's time for me to move on, to forget and start a new life….yes…..I think it's time….' With that thought in mind and a wider smile this time on her face she continued mopping the floor. What she didn't notice was the front door of the restaurant opening and the brown wild hair or the crimson eyes of the person that walked in. Runo had her back turned to him so she didn't see him coming in or hear him due to her singing.

"Your voice is still the best I've ever heard in my life…" started the person.

Runo froze and her fists clenched. Her eyes were wide and her lips slightly agape in a silent scream. No…..it couldn't be. Not him…..Not now…Not now that she was finally making a new start, not now that she was finally starting to get over him. She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves and her raging heart. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. Her blood was pounding in her ears and she was almost sure that the other occupant of the room could hear her fast beating heart.

No. She wouldn't seem weak in front of _him_. She couldn't seem weak! No! She had to face him! Now! She had to put an end to all this. To all this pain, to all this fatigue, to all this heartbreak.

'It's now or never!' she thought and opened her eyes. Slowly but steadily, she turned around and slowly looked up to meet the eyes of the man that was the cause of all her pain and torture.

"Dan…" she said and was quite pleased with the way her voice came out. Her eyes were cold and void of emotion. Her face was an emotionless mask and her shoulders tense. One could only be calm and collected to an extent.

"Runo….." Dan greeted back lowly and even though he tried to sound neutral, she could feel his nervousness.

'He has every right to be nervous!' said a little voice in her head and Runo had to agree. But that was the least of her problems. She still had to face her nightmare.

Silence spread between them and the atmosphere grew heavy with emotion. Several minutes passed before either of them decided to break the silence. Runo was the first one to speak.

"What are you doing here Dan? What do you want?" the Misaki girl asked coldly and her eyes remained narrowed.

Dan remained silent for a few moments before he opened his mouth to speak.

"I wanted to explain everything to you. What you saw….It's not what-"

"Oh, let me guess 'It's not what I think it is'. After everything that has happened you dare come here and use this excuse? Please Dan! I thought that you were more creative than that!"

Runo was mad. How dare he use that lame excuse? Did he think that she was stupid? Explain? Explain what? There was nothing to be explained. She had seen them kissing with her own eyes. Her heart couldn't lie, neither could the pain that she had felt.

"Please Runo, listen to me. I just-"

"You just what? Don't tell me that Alice kissed you and being the helpless little boy you are, you didn't have the strength to push her off! Because I won't believe you."

"Listen to-"

"No! You listen to me! I want an explanation! And I want the truth! Why did you cheat on me? And of all people why with Alice? She was my best friend!"

Runo grew madder and madder as the minutes passed. This boy had some nerve to come here and play dumb with her and act like he didn't know anything.

"Will you please listen to me?" Dan said and this time his own voice was raised.

"Listen to what? Another lame excuse that you might throw at me?" Runo was starting to lose her patience. Strangely, her anger ruled over any other emotion that she had inside her. She would have expected to feel pain at the sight of him after a full month of being away from each other and the whole thing with Alice. She felt that this anger was her strength at the moment. The newfound power that made her go on.

"Runo please…Listen to me for just a moment and then you can throw me out. But please…..hear me out first" Dan had a pleading look on his face. A look that Runo knew all too well. This look was the one that she could never resist. And Dan knew it. He knew the way he was affecting her and he was using it against her. Runo ran a hand through her blue locks and let out a sigh. A thought crossed her head. Maybe she should run…Run away from Dan and from all the pain that he had caused her. Run away from everything and everyone, hide away in a dark cave and never see the light of the sun again and all the torture that it was causing her. Yeah, so tempting….

But no….running away wouldn't solve the problem. It would only cause more trouble and that was something that she didn't need at the moment. She wasn't like that. She wasn't one to run away from problems. No. She would stand up and face Dan head on. She was no coward. Well, she had never backed down from a challenge before, why start doing it now?

She met his crimson eyes with her determined sea-foam orbs and a cold look on her face. Her eyes were the only ones that betrayed her emotions and the only one that Dan could recognize was firm determination.

"Ok, you have one minute. Not a second more" she said and folded her arms in front of her.

Dan sighed in relief but remained silent for a few seconds. He didn't know where to start. He had to give her a good explanation. But, where to start? There were so many things that he wanted to tell her. Ask her to forgive him a million times and even that would be nothing. He knew that he had hurt her. And much.

"Runo…I don't really know what to say. I guess I just want to say sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you and you know it. I would never hurt you intentionally. I just don't know what came over me…..Please Runo…don't just throw away all the years that we have been together. Don't throw away all the happy memories and all the beautiful experiences that we went through together. Together….you and I. Please, remember all the adventures that we went through together. All the bad and good experiences that we faced. We used to be there for each other."

Runo's eyes softened unintentionally as she remembered. Remembered all the beautiful moments, all those beautiful experiences….

Dan's pleading eyes, his soft voice….it almost brought tears to her eyes.

'No!' she shouted in her head 'I can't forgive him! Not after all he did to me! Not after all the pain he put me through!'

Runo glanced at Dan once more.

'But he seems so sad….he seems like he has regretted everything he did….I hate seeing him sad….it hurts me so much….so, so much….'

This time she didn't stop them and the tears started flowing freely down her cheeks. She didn't care to stop them. After all that have happened he could still make cry, he could still make her heart clench….

"We used to be so happy together…..I am begging you Runo…..Please forgive me…I love you…I love you so much…but….." whispered Dan and averted his eyes.

Runo shook her head to clear her thoughts. She refused to forgive him. Her sadness was immediately replaced by anger. How dare he tell her that he loves her? How dare he confess his love to her after all he did to her?

"But?" she said and her cold aura was back "But what? You love _her_ too?"

Runo never expected him to answer that question but to her utter horror and surprise he slowly nodded.

Runo's eyes widened and her mouth was slightly agape. H-he what?

"I can't believe this! This can't be possible! You just didn't tell me that you are in love with Alice! No! How can you tell me this? First you confess your love to me and the next moment you tell me that you love Alice? You have some nerve in you, I give you that." almost shouted the girl and was surprised that her parents were still asleep.

"Runo….please…..I need you to understand me….Pleas-"

"Understand you? Understand what?" she interrupted him before he could finish his sentence "That you hooked up with my best friend behind my back? That both of you have been lying to me for God knows how long? Oh, asking out of curiosity, how long have you been together behind my back?" she asked and her eyes hardened even more, if that was possible.

Dan couldn't meet her eyes. He knew that what she had just told was true. He had deceived her and he couldn't have found a better way to break her down. But he could not control his feelings. It was beyond him. Runo was his first love and he would always love her. She was beautiful, smart, strong, determined, always there for him, she had a temper that could overpower even a military general and would do everything to help or protect her loved ones. But Alice…..was a different story…..She was pretty, sweet, kind, gentle. Her calm nature was the exact opposite of Runo's fiery temperament. And that was the thing that drew him to Alice…that's why he had fallen in love with her, because she was the calming factor that was missing from his noisy life.

"Runo please…." he whispered and took a step towards the blue-haired girl but stopped when he saw the look that she was giving him.

Runo's anger only grew as she heard Dan pleading her for forgiveness again and again. She felt that strange surge of power flow through her once more and all traces of her previous weakness vanished like it never existed. It was a pleasant surprise to her. She had never expected that there would be a time that she would stand up to Dan, that she would find herself unaffected by him. It was strange but….nice and refreshing.

"No Dan. Enough. I've had enough of these. Of the pain, of the heartache, of the tears…I'm sick and tired of everything. I can't take it anymore! I'm not that chained up little girl, infatuated with you." Runo said and her eyes held a coldness that Dan had never seen in her sea-foam orbs.

"Runo….." he murmured and he sounded almost like a drunk man.

In his desperate sate, Dan grew bold and started walking towards the girl who in turn put her hands in front of her for protection and took a few steps back.

"Don't come near me Dan. Stay away from me" warned the girl and took a few more steps back but found herself trapped between two tables and the bar. At the same time, Dan continued walking towards her and he seemed almost like he was hypnotized.

Runo was really starting to worry. She had never seen Dan like this. She had to do something and fast. The situation was starting to get out of hand. Dan just wouldn't stop advancing towards her and she was trapped between the tables and the bar. She couldn't escape.

Dan's foggy mind didn't allow him to see clearly and with reason and Runo was so worried about the outcome of the situation she was in that they both didn't notice a tall and lean figure walking in.

"Runo…." Dan murmured and without a warning grabbed Runo's shoulders in an iron-like grip. The girl's eyes widened and the cold fingers of fear started clenching her heart.

"Runo…"

"I said stay away from me Dan!" Runo yelled but her voice trembled.

"Runo…I want you…I want you right now…." whispered Dan in her ear and his breath made the bleu-haired girl shiver.

"Dan, let me go!" she said firmly but her fear could not be hidden completely.

"I want you….." the brunette said and leaned in to kiss her, his grip on her shoulders never loosening.

"No!" shouted Runo and turned her head away trying to avoid Dan's lips. His grip on her was starting to hurt and she started fighting in the boy's arms to free herself from him. He wasn't in his right mind! She had to do something and quick! The situation had gotten out of hand! Something told her that if she didn't stop him, the whole situation wouldn't end well.

"I want you now…..You're mine Runo….Mine…."said the young man one more time before he pressed his body to hers, effectively trapping her, and forcefully pressed his lips to hers. Runo started fighting in his grip but in vain. He was stronger than her.

"Let her go!" someone shouted and the two other occupants of the room finally noticed the figure that was, up until then, hiding in the shadows.

Dan pulled away from Runo and his grip loosened.

"Shun?" asked the terrified girl and an impossibly huge wave of relief hit her at once. Her relief was so intense that the tears she was trying so hard to hold back started flowing down her cheeks. But these were tears of happiness…..Such happiness…..Unlike anything she had ever felt before…..

"What do you want here Kazami?" asked Dan.

"That's none of your business Kuso. Now, let her go" answered the ninja boy.

"This is between me and Runo. It is none of your concern. Go away" answered Dan and turned his attention back to Runo.

"I said let her go. Do it before I make you" warned the Kazami boy and his tone left no room for arguments. The look that he sent Dan would have left a full grown adult frozen in his place. The rage that Shun felt when he saw Dan pressed up against Runo…..It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was like a howling demon was trapped in his stomach and was trying to get free.

"Make me?" suddenly said the crimson-eyed boy and to for a moment lost his focus. Runo used that distraction of his to free herself from his grip and, to Dan's jealousy and Shun's pleasure, ran straight to the Kazami boy's arms. Runo's tears were still flowing down her cheeks. But these were tears of relief and happiness that she was in Shun's arms.

"Shhhh, Runo. It's alright. I'm here now. I'm with you. Everything is going to be alright. I'm here" he whispered softly in her ear while stroking her hair.

"I know" she murmured in his chest "I know" and tightened her grip around him.

"Oh, I get it now" Dan's voice interrupted them "Now everything makes sense"

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Shun confused.

"Don't play dump with me Kazami. You know full well what I mean"

"I'm not in the mood to put up with you right now Kuso."

"Of course you are not. You are here to see your girlfriend right?"

Runo's head snapped up and met his red eyes.

"What are you talking about Dan?"

"And you? This is how much you loved me? You go and hook up with Shun? A friend of mine?" said the boy accusingly.

The girl's blood boiled.

"How dare you lecture me? How dare you lecture about something that you did too? I don't know and I don't care what you think. Shun is a really good friend and nothing more (she didn't notice the way Shun's lips stiffened at this). But even if he was something more, it is none of your business. Even if he was something more, it wouldn't be while we were in a relationship! Unlike you, who hooked up with my best friend while we were together!" shouted Runo with fire burning in her eyes.

"Oh, I see. Well done Runo. If this is your idea of revenge then well done. Hooking up with my best friend. How creative. An eye for an eye, huh?"

Runo glared at him but found it useless to answer a question like this.

Dan started walking towards them and Shun's grip on Runo noticeably tightened. Dan stood right across from them but kept his distance.

"And you Shun? I thought you were my friend. How could you do this to me?" asked Dan and he took an almost hurt expression. Almost….

"I didn't do anything Dan. You brought this on yourself. You did this to yourself when you cheated on Runo with Alice. You reached a point that there was no coming back and it costed you something that you should have held precious. It costed you Runo." answered Shun and shook his dark head in a disapproving way.

"I guess, that you are holding it precious now, right?" said the red-eyed boy and started walking towards the door. He was about to grab the doorknob when he turned towards them.

"Just be careful Shun. Who knows? Maybe the next time she'll hook up with Marucho to get back at you" he said before exiting and shutting the door loudly behind him.

Runo stared at the door for a few seconds before she broke down and started sobbing in Shun's chest.

The young man startled pulled her closer and started stroking her hair.

"Shhhhh Runo. Don't worry. Everything is going to be alright. I'm here" he whispered softly.

"I'm not so sure Shun. What he said…..it hurt me. It hurt to hear those words coming from Dan's mouth" sobbed the girl.

"I know, but I'm here now. I want you to know that I'll always be there for you. No matter what happens….."

Runo, slowly looked up and her tear-filed eyes met Shun's soft hazel ones. The boy smiled down at her sweetly and the girl returned it with a breathtaking one of her own.

'Even when she is crying and distressed, she is beautiful' thought Shun and this time, didn't shake this thought out of his head.

"Yes, I know Shun. When you are with me, I feel like nothing can harm me. Thank you" replied softly the girl and buried her face in Shun's chest. The boy felt a smile come to his lips and tightened his hold on the girl's waist. A warm feeling spread throughout his body and settled in his heart.

'Yeah, everything is going to alright…'

**TBC**

**Ok! Here is the much awaited Fight between Dan and Runo! I really hope you liked this chapter because I for sure enjoyed writing it! I am terribly sorry for not updating for SO LONG! Please excuse any mistakes that I am sure to have! English in not my native language! Thank you for all the reviews! **

**And don't forget: READ AND REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Runo stared at the beige-colored ceiling of her room, deep in thought. What had happened that day…..she felt like a big change had occurred. Something that had changed…..her feelings. An image of Dan advancing on her in his dazed, almost drunken state flashed through her mind and a shiver ran down her spine. The person down there couldn't have been Dan…not the Dan that she knew….not her Dan….

For the first time in her whole life she had felt afraid…..afraid of Dan. That was something that she wasn't used to. Dan….used to be so sweet, so caring and loving. And no matter what had happened between them, she had to admit that he had never treated her with disrespect or hurt her in anyway. Before the whole thing with Alice, at least.

But…..that part of Danniel Kuso that she had witnessed was so foreign to her….And so scary…..

She used to fell such bliss every time he would kiss her….but this time, when his lips had touched her in a forceful kiss….she had almost felt….disgusted….She used to feel so warm in his arms, but this time when she had been trapped in his arms…..she had felt so scared….That 'hug', if you could call it that, had been so….cold and so unlike Dan. So unlike the Dan that she used to know at least.

Another shiver ran down her spine as she remembered his breath fanning her face and she could swear that she could almost feel it right now.

Suddenly an image of Shun flashed through her mind and with it, a feeling of warmth spread throughout her tired body.

'Shun….' she thought and absentmindedly brought her fingers to her lips that had formed a sweet smile. She couldn't-no, she didn't want to even think what could have happened if he hadn't been there. If he hadn't been there to save her….again.

She had felt such…..relief and happiness when she had seen him coming out of the shadows. These feelings had hit her like a huge wave and it had almost taken her breath away. Shun had awaken feelings inside her that she thought she would never feel again after her rather nasty break-up with Dan. Feelings that she thought she had buried deep inside her to never come out again. To never be hurt again by someone she loved. But the Kazami boy had awakened those feelings once more.

Maybe she should just avoid him for the time being. These emotions….could be dangerous. She had already been hurt once in her life, she really didn't want to go through that hell a second time. Yes, avoiding him was the best thing she could do. She couldn't risk falling for Sh-No! She couldn't even think about it. It was just not right! But it was so unfair! So, so unfair! For both Shun and herself.

And for some strange reason, she couldn't imagine herself and her life without Shun by her side helping her, being there for her. The past few weeks had been overloaded with events that she really didn't know how to deal with. Hard decisions had to be made, and if she wanted to be sincere, making decisions was never her strong point. Especially hard ones.

But she couldn't continue like this. She had to put an end to all these. Or, she could always wait and see how things would turn out. Not and the best of solutions but she had no other ideas right now. But, waiting for a miracle was never her tactic. She was impulsive; she was used to taking maters in her own hands. Just sitting there, doing nothing and waiting for something to come out of thin air to solve her problems was something she was not used to. But this situation was an entirely different thing. Give her Spectra, Masquerade or Naga himself to fight and she would do it without a second thought. Saving Vestroia seemed so much easier! She ran a hand through her blue hair and let out a frustrated sigh. What did she do to deserve this?

'Why do things have to be so screwed up?' she thought and cursed her luck. Or better, lack of it. Why couldn't she be a little more like Julie? The girl was so carefree and so in her own little world…..Almost nothing could bring her down and she had confidence. Runo was sure that if Julie was in her place she would have already found a new boyfriend….or two….or three….or-Well, you get the point!

But back to the matter at hand, she wasn't like Julie. Heck, she wasn't even scratching the surface!

'Oh my God!' she screamed in her head ' What am I going to do?' She pinched the bridge of her nose to stop an upcoming migraine and resisted the urge to bang her blue head on the wall. A cracked skull was something she did not need. But then, maybe a couple of hits on the head would help find a solution. Maybe she should try it?

"Milady, are you alright?" Tigrerra, who hadn't said anything about the events that had occurred, broke the suffocating silence. The Haos Bakugan was extremely worried for her young master. Runo was…..different. Dan's secret affair with Alice did a lot of damage to her mistress and Tigrerra knew it better than anyone. She was the one to comfort Runo when she cried those restless, painful nights. Damn Danniel Kuso and his stupidity for doing this to her lady! Those weeks that they, Runo and Tigrerra, had spent inside the four walls that Runo called her room, couldn't have been more difficult. Tigrerra knew how much Runo loved Dan and how important Alice was to the Misaki girl. To see your boyfriend, the one you consider the love of your life, and your best friend, the one you share a room with and think of her as a sister, is something that no one would want to experience. To Tigrerra, it was like seeing Draco or Ingram or Gorem siding with Naga. It was like a stab trough the heart. And Dan's latest doings were only twisting the knife deeper and deeper. Runo was starting to get a grip on herself and her feelings but she was still vulnerable and one more heartbreak would be disastrous for her. And seeing Runo broken was something that the Haos Bakugan didn't want to experience even in her worst nightmares. Damn Danniel Kuso a million times over!

"I don't know Tigrerra. I really don't know" whispered the clearly upset girl.

"You don't know what, milady?"

"I don't know if I'm alright, I don't know if I can go on like this, I don't know what to do anymore" said the blue-haired girl and buried her face in her soft pillow.

Tigrerra remained silent for a few minutes. She wanted to help her mistress more than anything but she found herself at loss. Was there anything that would make Runo fell better? Was there anything that she could do to make her forget the pain? The Haos Bakugan doubted it. Dan was not just a boy. He was her mistress's first love. He wasn't just a one month thing. Runo had been in love with him for years. She breathed and lived for Dan. The Misaki would sacrifice herself without a second thought if it meant that Dan would be safe. She would be happy to jump off a cliff if she was told to do so by Dan.

"Milady, have you ever thought, that maybe Dan wasn't the one for you?" asked the white tigress cautiously. She knew that she was dangerously close to making Runo more upset than she already was but, maybe, making her realize that Dan was not the one for her would help her get over him and move on.

Runo didn't speak for a long time and Tigrerra feared that she had made a terrible mistake by voicing that thought of hers. But then the girl started speaking softly.

"I have wondered about that myself more times than I can count Tigrerra. And every single time I end up with the same result: Dan has to be the one for me! There is no other way! But then…..after everything that has happened…I am not sure anymore. Maybe it was my fault that he cheated on me with Alice" ended the girl with a soft whisper that even Tigrerra barely managed to catch. If the white tigress could, she would have widened her eyes. Tigrerra wished she had hands so she could slap Runo hard. Maybe that way she would be able to bring Runo back to her senses.

"Runo!" the small Bakugan yelled "For pity's sake! How can you say that? Have you lost your mind?"

Had the girl completely lost her mind? Such words hadn't just left the girl's lips! She couldn't be blaming herself for Dan's unforgivable behavior!

"But Tigrerra" the girl started "I am responsible too"

"Runo, please tell me that you are joking! Tell me that you are not blaming yourself even to the least for what happened between you and Dan!"

"But, there must be something that I don't have. I must be lacking something that Dan wanted me to have. Something that he found in Alice" said the upset girl as she turned to face her surprised- no, scratch that, surprised was an understatement- Bakugan.

"Runo! This is outrageous! For Christ's sake! Wake up! Your break-up was certainly not your fault! When Dan, asked you to be his girlfriend, he knew what kind of person you are. He probably knows everything about you! It is you who, as it turned out, knew nothing about him!"

"Yes, but-"

"No buts!" interrupted the tigress "I wish to hear no more! Don't try to convince yourself that you are at fault only because you want to save Dan the humiliation of what he did!"

The girl said nothing more after that, because she knew. She knew that her loyal Bakugan was absolutely right. Her break-up with Dan was not her fault. If someone had to be held responsible that person would be most certainly Dan. Not even Alice. She was at fault too. But the Kuso boy was in a relationship. He shouldn't have cheated on her in the first place. But still. Dan was….well, Dan. Runo doubted she would ever be able to fully take him out of her heart. Yeah…Dan would forever remain in her heart. She liked it or not, he had played a major role in her life and she owed him much. But that didn't mean that she would forgive him for what he did. Runo was in love with him but she wasn't stupid and she certainly didn't have the intention to share Dan with Alice. If Dan wanted to be with her, he would only be hers.

"I guess you are right Tigrerra. Our break-up…was not my fault" the girl whispered and turned so she was facing her Bakugan.

"That's my girl!" Tigrerra exclaimed "You don't need him Runo. You don't need anyone that hurts you. Remember all the times that we had to be on our own. Dan wasn't there to help you but you still managed to preserve"

The white tigress was right. Runo had to face her enemies alone so many times in the past. Spectra, Masquerade. So why couldn't she face Dan right now? Where was all of her courage? Where was her will to keep on going without giving up?

Runo averted her eyes to the ceiling. She frowned and her lips formed a thin line. It had to be somewhere deep inside of her. Buried in a far corner of her being but it was still there. The only thing she had to do was find it. Find it and bring it to the surface once more. Find it and become the good, old Runo. The carefree, the one that had a smile for everyone. Yes, she had to and she would do it. She would find her old self.

"We managed to overcome everything together Tigrerra. If it weren't for you….I would have failed. At everything. You are the reason why I am the person that I am right now, you are the reason that I managed to overcome many obstacles. There is no 'Runo'. There is only 'Runo and Tigrerra'" said the girl and smiled. A wide and genuine smile. One, that Tigrerra hadn't seen in a long time. And at that moment Tigrerra knew that Runo was going to be ok…

**TBC**

**There you go! Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers! Sorry for the late update! Excuse my mistakes! Any ideas that you might have and would like to share with me are welcome! **

**Until next time!**


	9. Chapter 9: Fire and Ice

**Chapter 9: Fire and Ice**

The next morning, Runo woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy that she didn't know she had in her. She hadn't felt this good since the….'incident' with Dan and Alice and it was kind of strange. But it was a nice and welcome change.

She threw the covers off her body and stepped on the cold wooden floor. Usually, it would cause a shiver to run up and down her spine but today it only cooled her and left a pleasant tingling sensation.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and run a hand through her hair. It was full of tangles and it stuck to her forehead from the night's sweat. She needed a shower.

Fifteen minutes later she was stepping out of the bathroom while towel drying her blue hair.

'_A shower in the morning is the best thing ever' _she thought as she went to her closet to pick out her clothes for the day. After a couple of minutes she settled for a white sundress with light blue patters that brought out the color of her eyes. She put on her sandals that were the same color as the patterns that decorated her dress and headed downstairs to meet her parents. Tigrerra jumped quietly on her shoulder.

She headed downstairs and found her parents talking franticly to each other. They hadn't noticed her yet. She greeted them with a strangely cheerful 'good morning' and was about to leave the house when she noticed that her parents were still oblivious to her presence.

"Good morning" she said a little louder this time.

"And we need to buy more Rain Flower tea-"her father continued without noticing her standing only a few feet away.

"Dad" she started with a sigh.

"- and a couple more chairs and tables-"

"Dad" she said again starting to get just the tiny bit annoyed by his lack of response.

"- and we might need to hire and a couple of assistants to help for the night-"

"DAD!" she shouted and her father stopped talking abruptly.

"Runo?" he asked while turning to look at her "When did you come down? I didn't notice you there"

"Obviously, you didn't. What's this whole commotion about anyway?"

"Did you forget dear?" her mother said "The Full Moon Festival is in two days"

Runo's eyes widened as realization hit her. How could she forget? The Full Moon Festival, their town's greatest attraction and her favorite time of the year. It always brought many costumers to their restaurant. She could understand her parents' panic. They had to be prepared.

"Oh yeah, you're right. I was about to go for a walk but I could stay here to help you if you need me" she offered as she knew how difficult it was to get ready for the upcoming festival.

Her father was about to say something but her mother cut him.

"Thank you darling. It is so kind of you but we can manage. You can go, have fun. It's been a while since you went outside for a walk. We would hate to ruin it for you, right dear?" she said sweetly while giving her husband a pointed look.

"Right" he answered quickly not daring to go against his wife. She could be scary when she wanted.

"Are you sure?" Runo asked but mentally thanked her mother for understanding her need to go out.

"Yes, now go. Have fun" Mrs. Misaki said while smiling sweetly at her daughter and almost pushed her out the door.

Runo heard the door shut behind her and her parents talking, probably resuming their preparations for the upcoming event. She looked around. The sky was blue with a couple of pure white clouds here and there; the sun was shining brightly, warming the Earth with golden rays of light. Two, small, bright blue butterflies were flying around, dancing with each other with their small wings like expensive blue silk reflecting the sunrays. It was a perfect summer day. Not too hot but with a pleasant cooling breeze blowing through her hair.

Runo took a deep breath and a smile graced her lips. It was good to be out again. It was like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was a great feeling.

She fixed her hair into a high ponytail and took a small step forward. Soon, she was almost running and leaping in joy. People on the street were giving her funny looks while others only smiled and commented on how lively she was.

She was so happy that she didn't notice a person walking up to her. Their colliding was inevitable. Runo and the stranger found themselves falling back and landing on the road in a tangle of limbs. Runo closed her eyes and felt her back hitting hard stone while at the same time the breath was knocked out of her by the stranger landing on her.

She let out a loud 'oof' and tried moving her hands but found them blocked under the weight of the person above her.

"Runo?" a voice, that she guessed belonged to the stranger, asked. It was strangely familiar even though, in her daze, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Still shaken by her fall she hesitantly opened her eyes. Her vision was filled with dark green and black. And soft hazel, so soft hazel. She knew those eyes, she knew them very well. Those eyes had made feel safe and secure; they had helped her through very difficult times.

"Shun?" she whispered but he still heard her.

"Are you alright?" the young man smiled and asked.

"Yes, I'm fine" she answered while returning the smile. She looked around. People were giving them strange looks while two old ladies that were sitting on a bench a few meters away were giggling while pointing at them. Truth be told, their position was kind of…..strange. She was on her back with Shun on top of her. His hands were on either side of her head and his legs were between hers. Their faces were only inches apart and she could feel his breath fanning her lips.

"Umm…..Shun could you please get up now? My hands are starting to get numb" she lied. The truth was that their close proximity was giving her a strange and warm feeling in her stomach. It wasn't a foreign feeling. Oh, no. She knew it very well. She had felt the same about Dan. But this time Shun was the one to cause it. It was unnerving her. She wasn't supposed to feel this way.

"Oh yeah, sure. Sorry" he apologized and quickly got up. He offered her his hand to help her up. She accepted it and thanked him. She brushed the dust from her clothes and fixed her hair.

Once they had both recovered from their fall, they started walking side by side, their shoulders almost brushing.

"So" Shun started after a few moments of silence "where were you heading before we collided?" he smirked.

Runo glared at him when she saw his smirk but her glare was weak and held more amusement that anger.

"Nowhere, to tell you the truth" she calmly answered "I just wanted to go for a walk. I needed it after four weeks of sulking in my room" and shot him a small smile.

Shun was taken aback by that smile. Shun understood that those four weeks had been very difficult for her. It was tough remembering and talking about the past. Especially a past that held so much pain. So, seeing her smile like that while talking about that part of her life was strange, to say the least. But it also meant that she was starting to get over it. A good sign. A strange warmth spread inside him at the thought of Runo being released from Dan. A warmth that made a smile appear on his lips. A smile that Runo didn't fail to notice. She looked at him strangely.

"What?" he asked her when he noticed the look she was giving him.

"Why are you smiling all of a sudden?"

"I was just thinking" he answered and smirked.

"About what?" Runo asked curiously.

"You" he said and his smirk widened.

"Me?" A blush covered her cheeks.

"Yeah, you"

"And?" she urged him.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to tell me?"

"Hmmm, let me think…Nope, I think not."

"Shun!"

"Ok,ok. I was thinking that you…have made a habit of falling on me!" he said while smirking and pulled her ponytail playfully.

"Come back here you little jerk!" she shouted and started chasing after him.

"Only if you catch me!" he shot back mockingly.

"Just wait until I get my hands on you! You will regret ever being born!"

They laughed together and their laughter echoed throughout the streets. People watched as they chased each other and commented on how good they looked together. But of course Runo and Shun were too caught up with each other to hear them or notice the smiles that were sent their way.

XoooxRunoXShunxoooX

Shun rubbed his pained cheek where Runo had so efficiently slapped him. He was sure that his skin would be red for the next two hours at least. Man, that girl surely knew how to land one mean slap! He groaned at the thought. Runo, taking his groan a sign of pain, crossed her arms and glared at him clearly satisfied with what she had done.

"Serves you right for mocking me!"

"Yeah, right! You could have at least tried to measure your strength a little!"

"Shut up Kazami! You are lucky that I didn't put my _full _strength in that slap!"

They remained silent for a few moments with their arms crossed. Suddenly their eyes met and they both burst out laughing. Runo had tears in her eyes and Shun was laughing rather loudly, well…..louder than usual.

"Oh my God, Shun! I can't even remember the last time that laughed this hard!" said the blue haired girl when she finally got her breathing under control.

Shun only chuckled at her behavior and shook his head. She was such a child sometimes…..it was…cute.

They continued walking in comfortable silence with the cool wind blowing through their hair. Usually Runo was a talkative person and remaining silent was not an option for her but with Shun it was as if anything was right for her. Even complete silence. It was warm and comforting.

But someone up there hated Runo because her, so far, perfect day was ruined by a voice that she hoped she wouldn't hear for at least another couple of months.

"R-Runo?"

Runo froze in place. Her eyes would have widened had she been in this situation a couple of weeks ago but now, her sea-foam orbs were hardened and cold.

"Alice" she stated with a coldness that scared the orange haired girl and almost had her trembling. She could have sworn that the temperature dropped a couple of degrees. The wind picked up and blew through their hair. Alice's orange hair was like fire but Runo's ponytail flowed behind her like a wild waterfall.

Alice was facing Runo's back with her head low and her fingers crossed behind her back.

The orange-haired girl took a deep, shaky breath and tried to swallow the nervousness- and maybe fear- that had her stomach and throat in a tight knot.

"I-I was h-hoping that we could talk…a little" she said and her voice shook.

Runo turned to face her. The girl before her was nothing like her best frien-ex-best friend. She was shaking and she was as white as a sheet.

"Say what you want. I don't have much time" she said coldly.

"I-I would like to talk to you….alone"

"I should get going then-"started Shun but was interrupted by Runo.

"No, Shun, stay. You know the whole story and you have helped me more than anyone. I want you to be here."

Shun chose not to question her decision. The atmosphere around them was already electrified and he didn't want to make things worse.

"Now tell me what you want"

"I wanted to a-apologize….for what happened…."

"Apologize" Runo tested the word on her tongue" Ok, you apologized. Now if you would excuse me I have more important things to do." She turned to leave but Alice stopped her.

"Runo…wait! I didn't mean it like that!"

The girl's temper flared.

"Didn't mean like that? You think that a simple 'sorry' will make me forget all the pain and hurt that I felt?"

"Runo…please I-"

"You were my best friend, my sister, I loved you…..and you…..you betrayed me!"

Alice had tears in her eyes and Runo fought hard to keep hers from falling.

"Please Runo….."cried Alice.

"Stop pleading Alice" Runo said and her face was once again void of emotion "Pleading will get you nowhere. I will hear no more of this. Game over" she said coldly and turned to leave without sparing Alice a second glance. The orange-haired girl had fallen down on her knees and was crying hard with sobs wracking her body and her hands covering her face. Shun glanced at Alice one more time and went after Runo.

Runo gritted her teeth and wiped her tears. She refused to cry for Alice. She had betrayed her. It was all her fault!

"Runo…." Shun came up behind her and started rubbing her back softly.

The blue-haired girl turned to look at him. The softness in his eyes broke her. A sob escaped her lips and then another…and another….and another. Soon, her whole body was trembling. Shun put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

Runo leaned on him and cried harder. Shun could do nothing but hold her.

Ten minutes later Runo's sobs had calmed down but she was still shaking.

They walked in silence with no certain destination in mind.

"Shun?"the girl whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I want to confess something to you"

"You can tell me anything"

"I almost did it"

"Did what?"

"I almost forgave her"

Shun didn't answer. To tell the truth, he hadn't expected something like this. He wasn't sure what to say. Her statement was so sudden….

"It was hard…seeing her again….and so broken. If I had stayed there a little longer….I would have accepted her apology. I guess I was never sure about Dan….deep down I knew that there was a chance that he would cheat on me. But Alice…I thought that we would always be together…..that we would always be best friends. Out of the two of them….Alice hurt me more" she whispered but Shun still heard her. He understood her and damn! There was nothing he could say or do to help her ease her pain. So, he did the one thing he could. He pulled her closer and rested his chin on her head.

Shun closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. He hated seeing her like this. So broken and fragile. The Runo he knew was strong, cheerful, outgoing. Suddenly, Shun felt anger build up inside him. It was all Dan's fault! Stupid, arrogant, good-for-nothing jerk! He had Runo, he had a treasure, more precious than any diamond, in his hands and the only thing he had done was hurt her!

He was jerked out of his thoughts when he felt Runo move. His arm was still around her shoulders protectively and her head was resting on his shoulder with her right hand around his waist for support. And…it felt right. Like they were supposed to be this way. Shun tightened his hand on her shoulder to show her that he was there for her. She looked up at him with teary eyes and smiled. A sweet and soft smile that had his stomach doing flips and his heart beating faster. And to him…..she had never been more beautiful….

**TBC**

**So, here is the next chapter of "Finding What's True"! I hope you like it! Sorry for my mistakes! **


	10. Chapter 10:Accepting

**Chapter 10**

Shun stared at the beige colored ceiling of his room with his arms behind his head for support. It was the day right after Runo and Alice's…..meeting, 6 in the morning and he couldn't sleep. He was tired but at the same time something kept him on edge. He would shut his hazel eyes and Runo's teary face would immediately flash through his mind causing them to open once more. It was as if that particular image had been carved in his mind with every little detail. From the curve of her rosy cheeks and her full lips to the tears running down her cheeks and her sea-foam eyes that, as he had noticed, had specks of gold in them. He didn't know why his mind had chosen that particular image of her to remember. It could have been another moment he had with her. A happier one, when she was laughing or smiling or when she had that adorable pout on her face when he teased her. Then why choose this one?

He had an idea. Maybe it was because that moment was the one that had hurt him more. Maybe it was because that moment was the one that had sent a stab of pain to his heart. He didn't know if it was right or wrong….feeling this way towards Runo….She was his friend, damn it! But that didn't stop his heart from clenching painfully at the thought of her crying or hurting.

Suddenly, he felt a strange wave of anger building inside of him. Anger, directed towards….Dan. That good-for-nothing jerk! He was the one at fault! He was the one that had hurt Runo more than anyone in her life! More that Masquerade, more than Naga…..And the irony of the whole thing? Dan was the one who was supposed to protect Runo! The one who was supposed to be there for her, to make her happy and the only thing he has done was cause her pain, pain and more pain.

Shun disagreed with Runo to a point. Alice was also to blame; she was supposed to be Runo's sister-like friend. But Dan….Shun couldn't really understand what went through the brunettes head. He was either stupid or…well, stupid. The Kazami boy couldn't find a better explanation. How could he do this? He had Runo….He had a treasure more precious than anything out there; he had a girl who loved him more than her own life and would jump over a cliff if asked to do so by Dan. And he? He had thrown all that away; rubbed her love in Runo's face and hooked up with her best friend. What kind of person was he? He couldn't be the Dan he knew. The Kuso he knew was loyal and would NEVER, EVER do something that would harm someone else. Especially Runo…..

Shun closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm himself down to avoid going after Dan and killing him. Once more, Runo's face flashed though his mind but this time it was a happy image. They were together and she was leaning her head on his shoulder, his arm secure around her slim waist. The dark-haired boy felt a warm feeling at the pit of his stomach.

Another picture. They were together again, but this time Runo was laughing loudly, her laugh reminded him of small bells. He was walking beside her, an arm around her shoulder and a smile on his lips.

Next. This time they were walking through the park. It was early in the morning and Runo was in her jogging clothes. He too was wearing sports pants and a loose white T-shirt. The sun was just beginning to rise and the horizon was painted an incredible pink that bordered to being red and orange at the same time. He was laughing and she had her arms crossed across her chest angrily. Another look at her face and he saw that she had that adorable pout on her face. Really, how would it feel to kiss those full, pink lips?

Shun shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts; it wasn't…..appropriate.

Runo has been his friend for so long and, jerk or not, Dan was a friend too. He remembered what Dan had told him when they had met at Runo's restaurant. He had called him a traitor, more or less. And then he wasn't even sure what he was feeling…..but now…now, that he had an idea as to what he was actually feeling….he was a traitor indeed. Not to Dan…but to Runo. Shun cringed when her smiling face flashed through his head once more. He wasn't supposed to feel this way! Runo had trusted him as a friend because that was what she needed. A true, loyal friend that would be there for her. He felt as if he was taking advantage of her. He had taken advantage of her weakened state to get closer to her for his own selfish reasons.

But was it that bad? Was it that bad to feel the need to be close to someone? To know that only you could make them laugh or smile in a particular, loving way? Was it so bad that he wanted to be that person for Runo? Because he did want that, more than anything. He wanted to be the one to one hold her when she cried, to be the one to make her laugh when she was down or make her loneliness go away. Was it that bad that he wanted to be the one to….love her?

Shun's eyes shot open and he immediately brought a hand to his frantically beating heart; he felt as if it was going to burst through his ribcage. He stood up from his bed and headed to the window. He pulled the curtains aside and opened the window. He didn't care that the chilly, early morning breeze hit his bare upper-half. He couldn't feel the cold. The warm feeling at the pit of his stomach was back and this time it was stronger than before. He brought a hand to his eyes to shield them from the early sun rays that were just starting to appear over the horizon.

Fuck appropriate! He didn't give a damn what the others would say. He….loved her…..It all rushed to him and almost took his breath away. It explained everything. Why he felt such anger towards Dan (and Alice to an extent), why he felt that unbelievably strong urge to protect Runo, why seeing her cry was so painful for him. He loved Runo and he would claim his love. He would let no one get in his way of showing his true feelings to Runo. It didn't matter if she loved him back….he would love her even if she didn't return his affections. The mere thought of her name brought shivers down his spine.

The sun illuminated his features bathing him in a warm golden light, warming his face and bare chest despite it being early in the morning. He had to find a way to show Runo how he felt without scaring her away. He guessed that after her…..unpleasant experience, with Dan she would be wary of getting in another relationship with someone. He had to find a way to show her what she meant to him without pushing her away in the process. He had to be cautious and gentle. Runo's emotional state, despite what she said, was still frail and a wrong move could hurt her….badly…..

With a determined look on his face and a smile gracing his lips, he shut the window and walked to his closet to get ready for the day.

'I will tell her…' he decided and ran a hand through his dark hair.

'And I think I know the perfect moment to do so…..'

XxxOxOxOxxX

Runo cursed as she paced in her room. This was not good; not good at all. She yelled when she managed to bang her toes on the bedside table and fought down the urge to punch the living daylights out of something. Why was this happening to her? Wasn't everything she had been through enough? Had she done something so bad that this was her punishment? She couldn't recall anything but even if she had indeed done something, did she deserve all this? The past month and a half had been the hardest in her whole life and that really was something considering that she had gone against Naga himself!

'Karma must really hate me! And I don't even know why!' she thought angrily and pinched the bridge of her nose to avoid the upcoming headache. Why did things have to take this turn? It was already hard enough that she had to get over Dan without hurting herself in the process and here she was with her heart being traitorous and making things even more difficult that they already were.

"Do you really think that cursing will get you anywhere?"came Tigrerra's voice but Runo didn't even turn to face the Haos Bakugan who was waiting patiently for her mistress to calm down. When the blue-haired girl didn't answer the tigress let out a sigh and continued.

"Runo, calm down for a bit."

"How can you tell me to calm down, Tigrerra? Things are going from bad to worse and I can do nothing about it!" said Runo and exhaled deeply trying, in vain, to calm her fast beating heart.

"Why would you think that this is a bad thing? I actually believe that it is the best thing I've heard so far!"

"Best thing? Are you kidding me?" said Runo and ran a hand though her blue hair not even caring when her fingers got caught in a bunch of knots. Brushing her hair was the last thing on her mind and the least of her worries.

"Will you please see the bright side for once?" asked the Haos Bakugan always having Runo's happiness in mind. Her mistress's well being was the most important thing for her and if it meant kicking some sense into Runo, then she would gladly do it.

"What bright side? There is no bright! There is only destruction! My destruction!"

"Runo" said Trigrrera and her voice reminded the blue-haired girl of a mother who was affectionately scolding her daughter for being stubborn "The only destruction here is the one that you will bring upon yourself if you continue to think that everybody is going to betray you. The fact that it happened once doesn't mean that all people are that way"

"But, what if it happens again?" whispered Runo and flopped down on her bed.

"I won't lie to you. It might happen again. There are evil people out there, Runo. We should know; we have faced a fair share of them ourselves. But this might be your chance to finally be happy. Don't think about the future. Think about now"

Runo remained silent and closed her eyes tightly. Deep down, she knew that her faithful Bakugan was right. She couldn't deny the spark of hope that she had felt when she thought of being happy. Was it so much to ask? To be happy? Was she that bad of a person that the only thing she deserved was pain? But…..there was always a big 'but', wasn't there? What if she was proved right and it happened again? What if her heart was broken again? Would she able to face a second, and probably worse, heartbreak? Everyone thought that she was strong; she did too. She had proved it after all by getting over Dan and facing Alice head on…..But was she strong enough to face a repeat of the heartbreak that had caused her so much pain? The pain that had kept her up at night, that had made her dreams turn into nightmares and her life to become a living hell? She probably wouldn't be able to stand that. It would scar her for life and she would never be able to get over it. Not with how her feelings were growing….

"Tigrerra…..I'm….I'm scared" whispered Runo and buried her head in her pillow without seeing Tigrerra jump from the bedside table and then move closer to her mistress.

"Why are you scared, Runo?" asked the white tigress and moved even closer to the distressed girl.

"I'm sacred that…..I will be disappointed once more; that I will be betrayed. I'm not sure I can go through the same pain again. And with the way things are going…It will break me…and there will be no turning back…."

"And how exactly are things going?" asked the loyal Bakugan not understanding why her mistress was so suspicious about feeling again….about living again….

"Tigrerra…..These feelings….they are getting stronger every day. Soon it will get out of control and I won't be able to fight it"

"Why fight it then?"

The girl glanced at her Bakugan with confusion written in her eyes.

"What?" she asked not really getting what her faithful companion meant.

"Why fight it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't fight the inevitable, Runo. You should know that. Your heart is the strongest thing about you. And it is always right. Never listen to anything others have to say. If your heart tells you that something is right, then it certainly is. Using your brain from time to time is not bad. But it might also lead you to choices that you will have to sacrifice your happiness for. Your heart on the other hand…..Sometimes it will cause you hurt, pain, betrayal. And you have felt all of these. But it can offer you something nothing else can. Love. And love is the greatest gift. Not many people are lucky enough to find their one true love. And many of the few that do, throw it away because they are afraid of the pain. Don't be one of those, Runo. Don't throw your happiness away"

The young woman only stared at her Haos Bakugan, mouth slightly agape at the maturity and truth of her words. A smile formed on her lips and she took Tigrerra in her hands.

"I never knew you were an expert when it comes to human relationships" she said, already feeling calmer. Tigrerra always had that effect on her.

"Oh, I am not. But I've been around here long enough to have at least learnt the basics. You are an expressive person Runo and wear your heart upon your sleeve."

"But Tigrerra" said the girl, her previous distress coming back "Accepting these feelings….Is it the right thing to do?"

"What does your heart say?" asked the white tigress, understanding completely the reasons behind Runo's cautiousness and fear. After all she had been through it was hard to open her heart and place it in the hands of someone. Building walls around it was so much easier!

"It….it wants to be healed" Runo said and nodded, more to herself than anyone else "More than anything"

"Good. Now the question is: are you willing to do what it takes? Are you willing to take that risk?" asked Tigrerra in a voice that clearly meant that she already knew the answer to her question.

"I think I am" the girl said hesitantly and looked down at her feet that were dangling over the edge of the bad.

A few minutes passed and neither seemed willing to break the silence. Runo was having an internal battle. Should she give in….or should she shut her heart away? Tigrerra was right. Building walls around her heart was easier and would cause her no pain. But then….then she wouldn't be able to feel love. Was she willing to give up love in order to avoid a repeat of her previous heartbreak? Was it even worth it? She tried, really hard to imagine her life without _him. _And she couldn't. She couldn't stand the thought of being away from _him_, of not having _him_ in her life, of not seeing _him_ smile down at her….. She wildly shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts and turned to her loyal Bakugan.

"Tigrerra….I think I know now"

"What do you know, Runo?" the Haos Bakugan said and anyone would be able to understand the double meaning behind her words.

"I really am helplessly in love with Shun…"

**TBC**

**So, here you go! I know it's been ages since the last time that I updated and I am SO SORRY for that! This chapter focuses on Runo and Shun's feelings about each other! There will be another couple of chapters before the story ends! Hope you like it! READ AND REVIEW! **


	11. Chapter 11:When Heart rules over Mind

**Chapter 11: When the heart rules over the mind **

That morning Runo woke up feeling strange and uncharacteristically on edge. All of her years facing brawler after brawler had taught her to always be ready for anything. But this was ridiculous. Only fifteen minutes after she had woken up and her stomach was already in a knot. She couldn't quite place the reason but a gut feeling told her that it had something to do with tonight's Full Moon Festival.

With heavy feet and an even heavier head she dragged herself to the bathroom to clean herself up and get ready for a hectic morning of preparing the restaurant and cooking along with her parents. After taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth and hair, she made her way to her closet to pick an outfit for the day. She needed something comfortable that she could easily move and work in. After some contemplating she settled for her black, running shorts and an old, loose, red T-shirt. She pulled her hair up in a high ponytail and brushed her bangs out of her sea-foam eyes. Runo placed Tigrerra on her right shoulder and shut the door of her room before walking down the stairs.

Her parents were already running around like crazy even though it was still early. She could hear her mother talking to herself, making sure than she had everything she would need, as she often did when she was in the kitchen. Her father was arranging and rearranging the chairs and tables, never satisfied with the result.

"Good morning" Runo greeted them and headed for the fridge. She grabbed a carton of milk and thirstily drank it before tossing it in the bin.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" came her mother's from the kitchen "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"I'm fine mom! I just drank some milk!" the girl called back and turned her attention to her father who was still trying to find a good place for a pair of chairs.

"Need some help, dad?" she asked and smiled at the man who smiled at her and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Some help would be nice. Thanks, honey." he said "Now, help me move these tables."

Runo resisted the urge to keel over with comical swirly eyes and a big sweatdrop. Her father would never change. It was the same thing every year. Mr. Misaki would never, EVER be satisfied! End of story.

For the next hour and a half they arranged and rearranged and re-rearranged most of the chairs and tables. Runo lost count after the tenth time and just followed her he father's example. But it was staring to get frustrating….

"Dad, for the last time, they are fine!"

"You don't understand Runo. The lay out has to be perfect!"

"Who's going to care what the chairs and tables look like, anyway? This is a restaurant. People come here for _food_!"

"Ah, sweetheart, you are so young! You don't understand! Everything has to be perfect if you want to please the costumer."

"Dad look, just leave the chairs and tables as they are. It cannot get any more perfect than this!" she said and prayed to whatever God was out there that her father would stop.

"You really think so?" Mr. Misaki asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Oh, yes!" she answered while nodding her vigorously "It really is perfect!"

"Oh, thank you so much for your help, honey!" the man said and patted her head before heading to the storage room to grab the boxes with the decorations for the Festival.

'Thank God! Finally!' Runo screamed in her mind before stepping outside. She needed to clean their front yard before they set up the decorations for the night. She grabbed the cleaner that was resting innocently on the ground and set to work. It was an easy job, really. And the repetitive motif of her cleaning calmed her down. She started humming a soft tune that she couldn't remember where she had heard from and felt a smile form on her lips. It was a nice day. The sun was shining, the blue sky was cloudless and there was a soft, cooling breeze that left a pleasant sensation on her skin. Yeah, it was a nice day indeed. And there was still the Moon Festival.

Runo always loved this particular time of the year. It made her feel good to see all those happy faces and all those cute, paper lanterns hanging all over the place. It was a day of happiness for her town so it wasn't a surprise that the citizens were all feverishly preparing for it. Her parents included.

Runo giggled at the thought of her frantic father though she was sure that her mother would keep him in line. Her humming grew louder and soon she was singing the song.

"At first I was afraid, I was petrified

Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side

But then I spent so many nights thinking, how you did me wrong

And I grew strong and I learned how to get along"

"Fitting song, don't you think?"

She was so caught up in her thoughts and singing that she didn't notice that there was someone watching her and hearing her sing. Startled, she looked up only to be met with a pair of warm golden eyes shining with amusement.

"Shun!" she exclaimed surprised "I didn't notice you there!"

"Obviously." the young man answered and allowed a smirk to grace his lips. A sexy smirk that made Runo's knees go weak and her stomach to do flips. She had to support herself on her broom. He prayed to whatever God was out there that he didn't notice the blush that was starting to appear on her cheeks. Fortunately, karma had decided to be kind with her today and Shun appeared to not have noticed. If he had, he didn't mention it, at least. Runo was more than glad for that.

"So" she started to keep herself from getting lost in thoughts of the devilishly handsome young man before her "What brings you here?"

"I just felt like walking around town a bit, that's all. It's a beautiful day, after all" _Not as beautiful as you though_, he added in his head and smiled at her "What about you? Why are you cleaning so early in the morning?"

Runo let out a melodic laugh that made Shun's smile grow wider.

"Just my dad being paranoid. It's the same situation every year, really. He just can't find in himself to relax. He is a perfectionist by nature and with the Festival being only a few hours ago, things only get worse. Unfortunately for me, being the kind, loving, compassionate and downright perfect daughter I am, I can do nothing but help him." she said and sent him a teasing smile. Anything to keep her mind off the way the orange sun rays illuminated his features. Really, this guy was bad for the health of the entire female population. Hers most of all.

"For a moment I thought that you were referring to someone else. You had me wondering if your parents had another daughter other than you." he answered with a teasing smile of his own.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Shun." she replied with fake laugh before sticking her tongue out at him.

"Very mature of you, Runo."

"We are all children at heart. Except…oh yeah! You…." she said with a smirk.

"I am not answering that" the boy said and crossed his arms across his chest.

'_How would those arms feel closing around me-'_

"Hey, Runo…..Are you even listening to me?"

"W-What?"

"I asked if you are planning on going to the Festival."

"Of course I'm going! I wouldn't miss for the world. It's my favorite time of the year!" she answered happily and fought hard the blush that was threatening to rise to her already heated cheeks.

"What about you? Are you going?" she asked and couldn't hide completely the hopeful tone in her voice.

"Sure. It's a good chance to unwind and get some rest from training. The food is pretty good, too."

Runo laughed "Yeah, it sure is!"

"Runo, dear! Can you please come inside for a bit?"came her father's voice from the restaurant.

"Coming, dad!" she called back and turned the dark-haired boy before her.

"Sorry, Shun. I gotta go help my parents."

"It's fine. So, I'll see you tonight at the Festival?"

"Sure! See you there!" she called happily as she made her way to her house. She waved enthusiastically at him and gave him a sweet smile before disappearing behind the door.

Shun stood there for a little while longer, staring at where her form had disappeared before turning around. He couldn't shake off the warm feeling at the pit of his stomach or the anticipation that was slowly building up inside him. He allowed a smile of happiness to grace his lips as he thought of the night that was to come…..

XxxOxOxOxxX

Runo stared at herself in her bedroom mirror. She was wearing a tight white dress that reached mid thigh. It tied around her neck leaving her milky shoulders and half of her back bare. It allowed some cleavage to show but it was nowhere near provoking or inappropriate. Quite the contrary, really. It complemented her nicely and showed off the natural curves of her body. A thin golden chain was hanging around her slim waist serving as an elegant belt. A pair of gold, teardrop earrings was hanging from her ears along with a matching necklace around her neck. A couple of gold bracelets completed the look. She had chosen to straighten her hair and leave it down. It fell like a shining blue waterfall around her shoulders and down her back. It was nice, simple and she liked it. She hadn't used much make-up; a bit of mascara and eyeliner to bring out the color of her eyes and some light pink lip gloss.

"You look beautiful, Runo."

"You really think so, Tigrerra?"

"Of course! You look stunning! Why? Are you doubting yourself again?"

"No, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"Well…..I've decided to tell Shun about my feelings for him. I can't hold it in any longer."

"Still, I don't see what the problem is."

"But Tigrerra, what if he doesn't like me? What if he only wants to be friends? I cannot pretend that I am not in love with him but I don't want to risk the wonderful friendship we have built. I think I can live knowing that he doesn't love me but I can't live without being near him. Even as a simple friend."

"I know you are worried Runo and you have every right to be. Confessing your feelings is not a walk in the park. To try is to risk failure; to hope is to risk pain, to love is to risk rejection. Yet the greatest hazard in life is not taking risks. Don't tell him anything, if you are so scared of being rejected. But can you live the rest of your life knowing that he was there yet so far away? Can you live thinking about all the possibilities, all the "what ifs"? You might save yourself the pain and sorrow of rejection but you might also loose happiness. Are you willing to take _that_ risk?"

Runo remained silent and stared at her faithful companion before turning to the mirror once more. She stared at her herself and wondered who she really was. Was she the same girl who had helped save Vestroia? Was she the same girl who had gone against Naga himself? The only thing she could see was a girl who had tasted the bitterness of heartbreak and was now scared of being rejected once more. But was her? Was that person the real Runo?

No, it couldn't be. She wasn't like that. The Runo she knew would never give up. She was a fighter by nature. But then who was that girl staring back at her?

'No, I refuse to become a scared, afraid of life, schoolgirl. Ok, my ex-boyfriend is a jerk and hooked up with my best friend behind my back. So? I am neither the first nor the last. It could have been worse. I won't allow myself to be stuck in the past. Life is good and the world is too beautiful to let go to waste.'

Runo turned to Tigrerra and flashed her a wide smile.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Tigrerra allowed herself a growl of satisfaction and happiness.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Runo's blue eyes were alight with mirth as she glanced at the beautifully decorated centre of the town. There were lights all over the place hanging from shops, houses and the fountain that was sprinkling crystal clear water. Happily, she noticed the small colorful paper lanterns that she much loved. All around her people were talking animatedly, meeting up with friends and having the time of their lives. Runo giggled as half a dozen children ran past her laughing and playing. She took a deep breath, savoring the delicious smell of food that was coming from the stands around her. It was truly a beautiful sight that made her forget of her problems.

She walked through the different stands. They were selling almost everything; from hand-made jewelry and toys to food and clothes. She even noticed some of them selling lucky charms and rune stones!

"It's beautiful, Runo" Tigrerra said from the girl's shoulder.

"I agree, Tig. They outdid themselves this year."

"At first I couldn't understand why humans are all so happy and excited about this kind of festivities but now I can see why. The decorations alone are worth the smiles."

Runo laughed and nodded agreeing with her faithful Haos Bakugan. The kept walking aimlessly, just admiring the town and talking to a couple of their restaurant's regulars for about fifteen minutes more. Tigrerra couldn't even count how many men, both teenage and older, had stopped what they were doing to stare at her mistress. She allowed herself a particularly loud growl as one of the bolder teenagers began to approach them. The both stopped abruptly when he noticed the growling and glaring tigress and quickly changed his course.

'Smart boy' Tigrerra thought smugly. Luckily, Runo was too caught up in admiring a couple of hand-made earrings to notice.

"Look at this one, Tig. Isn't it beautiful?"

She was holding a pair of glistering earrings. Aquamarine stones were decorating a silver heart. There were thin silver threads hanging from the heart, each one with a small aquamarine stone at the end.

"It is indeed, milady. This color really suits you."

"I think I'm going to buy-"

"Runo?"

Runo quickly turned around at the sound of that voice. She felt her breath leave her lungs at the sight of him. He was dressed all in black, with black pants and a fitting black shirt that had the first few buttons open showing off his nicely shaped chest and body and a black leather jacket draped over his shoulder, he was more than stunning.

"S-Shun?"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Shun's breath caught at his throat when Runo turned around to face him. He always knew that she was beautiful; even when she was disheveled. This time though, calling her beautiful would be the understatement of the millennium. With her blue hair falling around her shoulders like a waterfall, the white dress hugging her body, the light flush of her cheeks and her majestic eyes locked with his, she was putting the Goddess Aphrodite to shame.

His heart quickened when she smiled at him and he felt his stomach doing flips when she waved timidly at him. His lips formed a soft smile as he walked towards her. She was shinning like a freshly bloomed flower.

"Hey" he said "You look beautiful, Runo"

The Misaki girl blushed a bright red and tried to hide it by lowering her head so he wouldn't see.

"Thank you, Shun. You look good, too." she answered and happily noticed that her voice wasn't trembling.

"How long have you been here?"

"Oh, not much. About half an hour, really. Walked around a bit, talked to a couple of friends."

"Let's get going then." Shun said and smiled at her.

"Where?"

"We are at a Festival Runo. There are many things to do. How about we play a couple of games?" he suggested with a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes.

Runo's eyes instantly lit up "Sure! Just give me a minute to pay for this and we can go!"

The owner of the stand, a woman at her late fifties, wrapped the earrings and gave them to Runo before taking the money the girl had offered and flashing her a pretty smile.

"Have fun, dear!" the woman said and waved at her as she made her way to Shun who was waiting for her a couple of feet away.

"Shall we?" he said with a grin and extended his arm which she eagerly took. Her confession could wait a little while longer. Too bad that she didn't know that Shun was thinking the exact same thing.

"Lead the way!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Oh Shun! It was so much fun!" Runo laughed as they walked through the busy streets trying to find a quite place to sit and relax after a couple of hour of playing games.

Shun chuckled making her feel butterflies at the pit of her stomach "It was indeed."

"Especially when I beat you!"

Shun sent her a glare but there was no power behind it "For the last time, you didn't beat me. I let you win because I am gentleman."

"Yeah right! Your ego is just bruised that you lost to a girl!"

"You didn't beat me!"

"Oh, just admit your aim sucks!"

Shun only let out a sigh and chuckled. There was no point in arguing with her. He chose not to tell her that he was a ninja in training so his aim was more than perfect.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed and Shun turned to her confused and a bit worried.

"What is it, Runo?"

"Shun! What time is it?"

"Almost midnight, why?"

"Oh no! We are gonna miss them if we don't hurry!" she said and grabbed his hand before dragging him with her.

"Miss what?"

"The fireworks, Shun! The fireworks!"

A couple of minutes of Runo dragging him and they reached a grass covered hill that was overlooking the centre of the town. There were a few benches here and there. The sat on the one closer the edge to get a better look. It was truly a beautiful sight. The fool moon was casting its silver glow from above them and the lights of the Festival were shinning at their feet.

They remained silent for a few minute just enjoying the peace and quiet before Runo broke the silence.

"I've never seen something so beautiful."

Shun smiled "I have." he said and glanced at her meaningfully.

Runo seemed to understand what he was implying and she blushed heavily. The air around them suddenly grew thick with tension.

'Ok, Runo. This is it. It's now or never. Oh God! I'm going to throttle the idiot that said that confessing is easy!'

'Come on, Kazami. You are stronger than this! Get a grip and just tell her you love her!'

"I have something to tell you…." They both said at the same time and laughed awkwardly.

"You go first" Shun said and scratched the back of his head.

Runo inwardly groaned. He just had to be a gentleman, didn't he? She took a couple of deep breaths to calm her beating heart and brace herself for was to come. She looked up at him and saw him looking at her expectantly.

"I don't know how to begin…"

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Shun…We are friends, right?"

"Of course. You don't even have to ask that."

"I want you…I need you to know that our friendship means the world to me. You are my best friend and I could have never asked for anyone better than you. You helped me when I thought no one would be able to and I appreciate that more than I can put into words. But I can't go on like this any longer. I can't keep telling lies to myself…or to you."

Shun felt his heart stop. What was she going to tell him? Had she….Had she gotten together with Dan once more? Had she forgiven him? Had she given him another chance even after what he had done? He felt his heart break at the thought. He wouldn't be able to bear that, he knew. He couldn't live without her. She was his whole life; a life that was about to be taken from him. Without her he was as good as dead.

"The truth is….." 'Come on Runo! Just say it! You have come this far. There is no turning back now' "The truth is….I…I am…..I am in love with you!" 'There I said it!'

Relief. Utter, complete, absolute relief. Shun felt his heart start beating again with more life than ever before. For a moment he was floating and he briefly wondered if all this was just a dream; a creation of his imagination. If this was really a dream then he never wanted to wake up. But it couldn't be. He could feel the hard surface of bench under his hand and feel the nigh breeze stroking his cheek. 'I'm in love with you'. Had she really spoken those words? The words he had longed to hear from her all this time? Yes…Yes she had! She loved him! Shun had never felt more at peace in his entire life. It was as if his heart had grown wings and was trying to fly out of his chest.

Runo was staring at the ground the whole time Shun was trying to keep himself from grabbing her shoulders and giving her a bruising kiss. But she couldn't know that, of course. As the seconds ticked she felt tears gather in her blue eyes. One crystal drop escaped her eyelids and ran down her cheek before she had the time to stop it. Taking his silence for rejection, she sighed and let out a bittersweet laugh.

"Falling in love with your best friend is such a sweet kind of suicide….." she said softly and stood up to leave. She would go lock herself in her room and cry. But not here. Not in front of Shun. She wouldn't appear weak in front of Shun. But before she could take one step, a hand gripped her wrist and spun her around. Runo looked up and her blue eyes locked with his hazel orbs.

"And so we die together…" the young man said and smiled down at her the most heart-warming smile she had ever seen.

Her eyes widened when she realized what he had just said.

"S-Shun…."

"Because when I am with you, even death seems sweet."

Without a warning the young Kazami leaned down and softly brought his lips upon hers. Runo almost forgot how to breathe when his lips touched hers. The kiss was soft and sweet and held all the love they felt for each other. With Dan, the kisses were more forceful, more demanding. With Shun it as if she was kissing a feather. She couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling. Secure, serene, happy, loved, complete…And the list went on and on…..It was if she was meant to be there. And she knew she was. It was where she belonged. She belonged with this man who she loved more than anything in the world. He brought his strong arms around her waist and she snaked hers around his neck.

Shun pulled her closer savoring the way her body fit so perfect with his; as if they were meant to be from the very beginning….Utter bliss. That was what he was feeling. Nothing had ever felt more…right. Now that he had taken a taste of this, he was never going to let go. Not that he intended to in the first place. But this only strengthened his resolve to protect the girl in his arms from anyone or anything. Whether it was Naga or Dan.

But all good things come to an end. When the need for air became too great, they reluctantly separated but never lost the grip on each other.

They stared deeply in each other's eyes.

"I love you Runo. I really do; with all my heart and every fiber of my being. I'll never let you got. Not when I finally have you here, in my arms. I'll never hurt you. I promise…" he said and Runo saw such love and devotion in his eyes that she almost forgot how to breathe. When he kissed her she knew that he loved her too. But hearing him say it was something entirely different. It made her heart soar with bliss and tears of happiness gather in her eyes.

"I know Shun. I love you too" Her lips formed a breathtaking smile and the boy didn't hesitate a second before dipping his head and claiming her lips once more.

Neither noticed the fireworks going off in the distance.

Because they were in love…And they had finally found what was true….

**The End**

**That's it! Finito! I hope you liked the chapter. I know that it took me forever to update but I really had to finish my other story "A Dragon's Egg" before finishing this one. You can go check it out if you want! Thank you guys for all your wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it! I'm not sure if I'm going to write a sequel. It depends on what you, readers, say. It was really fun writing this story. Some people told me that this was the story that got them interested in the RunoXShun pairing. I am really happy to hear that I got you interested into a new couple. I hope that you liked the ending. I know, I can't please everyone but I hope that got at least most of you satisfied! Lots of love! **


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